Free Press, an ironically-named group that pushes for government regulation of the Internet, started the year by attacking a fledgling service launched by cable and direct-broadcast satellite providers. The new service, called TV Everywhere, allows cable and satellite subscribers to watch programming online at no additional cost. Sounds like a nice service that will encourage more online video content. So why the call for regulation?

Free Press apparently objects to the idea of businesses charging consumers for products. They recently complained that TV Everywhere “requires consumers to pay for cable TV subscriptions to access online programming.”

Since when should we get any TV programming we want for free? If that’s the case, I’d like a refund for the years of cable TV service that I’ve paid for. Oh and all the pay-per-view boxing and movies I’ve watched too.

The dustup over TV Everywhere exposes the Left’s penchant for regulation, even where no problem or market failure exists. Free Press is the same outfit that is clamoring for so-called net neutrality and “Open Internet” regulations, which somehow assert the Internet is on the verge of breaking down and we need government to step in before a problem occurs in the market to fix it.

It also exposes the Left’s deep seeded misunderstanding of how content production, consumer behavior and markets in general operate. Cable, satellite, phone and content producers are all constantly making huge investments to keep information flowing to our TVs, phones, PDAs and computers. Why shouldn’t they be allowed to charge us for it?

TV Everywhere isn’t even off the ground yet, and we’re already hearing calls for regulation. Instead, why don’t we sit back and pretend to be a market economy for a moment and see what emerges?