Sen Collins (R-ME) calls for tight scrutiny on AT&T's proposed Time Warner merger

Sen Susan Collins (R-ME) told the Department of Justice that she wants closer scrutiny of AT&T’s merger with Time Warner. In a letter to acting Assistant Attorney General Andrew Finch, Collins expressed concern with a consolidation of power that could lead to “reduced programming choices and higher prices for consumers.” “The risk is real that the acquisition of such a prominent content producer by a distributor of AT&T’s size could allow it to dramatically reduce consumer choice in favor of its new in-house brand,” Sen Collins wrote, noting that no other premium network like Showtime or Starz is also owned by distributors. “I’m also concerned that this merger could encourage and enable AT&T and DirecTV to raise content costs to harm pay-TV competitors,” she continued.