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commentsOnPizza t1_iy7niaf wrote

The retransmission fees that networks are demanding are getting out of control - and it's ridiculous that cable companies can have these huge hidden fees.

Really, the government should repeal the 1992 law that allowed broadcast TV stations to require payment for retransmission: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retransmission_consent. In some markets where cable companies own the broadcast network (cough, Boston), they've switched to a smaller coverage transmitter for the broadcast network making it harder for people to tune in via antenna.

If a station isn't going to allow retransmission, it should just be a cable network and not squat on valuable radio spectrum that could be put to better use.

Likewise, the government should investigate whether Comcast's broadcast TV fee is really just passing along the fees that networks are demanding or whether Comcast is charging more than that in their broadcast TV fee.

In the meantime, YouTube TV and Hulu with Live TV don't have broadcast TV fees, regional sports fees, etc.

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otm_shank t1_iy81pxl wrote

> Likewise, the government should investigate whether Comcast's broadcast TV fee is really just passing along the fees that networks are demanding or whether Comcast is charging more than that in their broadcast TV fee.

It's still bullshit even if they're just passing it through. It's their own cost of doing business, and you can't decline it. It's literally impossible to pay their advertised prices, which should be illegal without question.

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