Not everyone has to pay the big bucks for access to influential politicians. For some it’s just the cost of a train ticket.
Healthy lifestyle channel Veria Living had a chance meeting with Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) on an Acela train to DC last week. The team, headed by CEO Eric Shermanwas headed down to discuss with the Justice Department how small channels fare in the current pay-TV environment, and what effect Comcast acquiring Time Warner Cable could have on independents.
Franken has been a highly vocal opponent of the $45 billion cable merger.
He quipped to the Veria group that they’d have an up-“Hill” battle pressing their case, given all the loot Comcast has spent on lobbyists.
Veria’s evidence must have been interesting, since they were invited back to DC on Friday to present on the same topic to the Senate Judiciary Committee, run by Patrick Leahy D-Vt.).