Netflix has asked the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reject the planned merger of AT&T and DirecTV, unless its competitive concerns about the deal are addressed. The company said it does not object to the merger in principle but is worried about the merged company’s ‘gatekeeping power’ as it would become the largest pay-TV provider in the US with potentially expansive broadband reach.
A spokeswoman for Netflix was quoted as saying, “The combination of these companies would increase the incentive and ability to limit competition and innovation in the online video space”.
