Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has rolled out a proposal designed to coax cable and other video service providers to offer their programming a la carte in exchange for "substantial deregulation," TV Week reports.

Under the legislation, introduced Wednesday, operators that agree would go into a national franchising system that would allow them to avoid their obligations under existing agreements with local governments.

But McCain's bill would also punish companies that don't permit their cable TV programming to be offered a la carte, by removing protections on the exclusivity of their network-affiliated programming in their communities.