Let's pay only for the TV we watch

[Commentary] Cable TV rates keep rising, and federal regulators said last week they're investigating -- again -- whether cable companies are gouging consumers. Why bother? We're squandering limited regulatory resources policing an industry that's stubbornly clinging to an outdated business model. It's time for the $79-billion cable industry to switch to a la carte pricing that would allow customers to pay only for the channels they want to watch. Beyond being a matter of fairness, it would bring cable in line with the wholesale shift in how consumers now approach entertainment. It's simple. In the age of the iPod, people should be able to say, "I want my MTV -- and not much else."