AT&T, DOJ Reach Settlement on RSN Collusion Complaint

AT&T won't directly or indirectly communicate or seek out competitively sensitive information from any multichannel video programming distributor, except for a lawful purpose, under the draft settlement (in Pacer) between it and DOJ filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. The settlement -- which would end a 2016 lawsuit calling AT&T-owned DirecTV the ringleader of an information-sharing cabal of MVPDs trying to negotiate with regional sports network SportsNet LA (see 1611020034) -- also requires that the company institute an antitrust training and compliance program for executives and workers involved in content carriage negotiations, and name an antitrust compliance officer. In a statement, acting Assistant Attorney General-Antitrust Division Brent Snyder said, “When competitors email, text, or otherwise share confidential and strategically sensitive information with each other to avoid competing, consumers lose." AT&T in a statement said it was "pleased to have resolved the matter to the satisfaction of all parties."