How to Stop Paying Broadcast TV Fees Forever

🔖Sources Mentioned

Spectrum - Broadcast TV Surcharge

Pew Research Center - Retransmission fee revenue for U.S. local TV stations

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[MichaelSaves]

How much are you willing to pay for your local stations?

[rogerf]

Good video as many don’t know what the local broadcasters are doing. Many of us live too far to get a reasonable broadcast signal so we’re stuck. If you live in an urban location, most people can just throw an antenna in the attic. However newer homes use aluminized plywood for the roof construction which makes attic antennas a non-starter. Here in Florida, the lightening capital of the word, you’re really throwing the dice putting anything metallic on a roof.

[dougmorris]

Good video, Michael. Well, when I cut the cable cord last summer, I worried a little about giving up the ability to record shows (since I was going with an antenna, not a live streaming service). I needn't have worried, I stream Paramount Plus which carries CBS shows, Hulu which streams ABC shows and peacock which comes for free with my internet, streams NBC shows. My streams do come with ads, but I'm only paying $21 a month total and have much more to watch than I ever did with cable! 🙂👍👍👍

[stevejohnson]

The cable and DBS should allow per-channel selection and billing, but won't do so because of the revenue involved. U.S.' antitrust hasn't had legs since late 1990s. The marketplace should decide which stations stay, and who goes.

[lesliebarrueta]

That's what's keeping me at YTTV, before I had locast and once that went dark every company raised prices.

[cornbread]

You can watch ABC NBC CBS Fox CW and PBS online live channels for free at Puffer Stanford edu. I would like to know if there ever will be a live TV streaming service that will have a box sort of like the cable companies for elderly people that cannot learn how to work fire stick Roku or any of the devices like that. It's a shame that more companies don't think about the elderly people that has problems with these new devices and have to pay the high cable cost that really can't afford it.

[drabun]

The problem with these YouTubers telling you to use an antenna is that they apparently don't understand that not everybody can get a reliable digital signal over the air.

[bushmaster]

In my area of Massachusetts, Comcast charges me $5.75 for Limited Basic TV service and presently they are charging $21.90 for Broadcast TV fees on top of that, plus taxes and Franchise fees. My Performance internet fee is $64.95 per month. I just got off the phone with them and they said I could go to Internet only which includes Peacock streaming service and the device to operate it for $68.95 with a one year contract followed by a second year without contract for the same price, however after that second year, the price would increase by $15 per month.

[gordonrosenberg]

My answer, nothing! I do have a local antenna but we don't watch local stations anyway, not interested in the so-called news & get all my shows & sports via streaming services. So guess they won't be collecting any visible fees from me. I wonder if locals may price themselves out of business before long?

[DaveNLR]

I had Sling. Yea it was great to save the $20, and I get all my locals on my Tivo...but... 30 frames per second video, no dolby digital, missed recording at least two or three shows a week... Nope, it was worth the extra $20 just to get a reliable service.

[JohnPaynekjwzo]

WOW, eye opening! Thanks for the great video.

[andygraning]

Michael - Good video. You did a nice job explaining something few people know or understand. A few interesting points to add on. Many of these big station groups make more money from retrans than selling ads. Commercials are still important, retransmission fees are too.

Don't think the cable companies aren't taking a cut when raising the broadcast fee. I've seen some who estimate its a 10-30% markup. I wonder if some of the major station groups offered their signals to the big streamers (YTTV, and Hulu with live TV specifically) at somewhat of a discount because streaming is a newer industry. As tastes shift Nexstar, Sinclair, Tegna, etc. will likely raise prices, which will get passed along to consumers.

Another thing to consider, when stations turned from analog to digital signals 10-15 years ago, it drastically reduced the number of folks who could receive the signal. Signals got a lot more directional and don't travel as far. Add in geography, trees, and tall buildings an antenna won't work for everyone. My family uses an antenna, but we live less than 10 miles from the transmitters, in a relatively flat part of the country. Signal strength will change apparently when ASTC 3.0 becomes standard, but that could be years before nationwide adoption.

Thanks for reading!

[DBrianAshby]

This was the unspoken agenda about getting rid of Locast as a competitor they just charged $5 a month which was very reasonable. You should have also mentioned (at least with Comcast) you cannot get rid of local broadcast fees (even though it is a seperate charge/line item on your bill) and keep the cable portion. I suspect the same is true of Spectrum.

[michaelwyckoff]

Hey Mike I've always used an antenna to avoid paying for channels I can get for free. It's crazy cable charges for the free OTA channels. I also use some of the better apps and my viewing needs are taken care of.

[WaynoGur]

I am over-the-air for local stations. I added the Airtv package from Sling so I record local over-the-air broadcasts.

The problem for me however, is that if you have a 4K TV, Airtv will NOT display captioning information for the over-the-air stations, unless you reset the display type to 1080p. They made this change in September, 2021. I need to get my mythtv working again.

[lorenzell]

As of today, I only receive 1 broadcast channel. 3 local channels have apparently cut power to their signal, so that few can receive the signal over the airwaves. It may be a plan to anyone who wants these of stations channel to sign up for service so that they can charge every one a fee for their service.

[nicklendt]

I WISH I could use an antenna.
Where I live is at the very edge of the area served by local stations and they just don't come in.
Even back in the days of analog TV I had a great antenna on a high tower and could only get a couple of stations with snowy picture.
Really sucks

[Johnnykgb-nsa]

We're an older couple and not real tech savvy. Spectrum recently raised our rate to nearly $170 per month. That's for one of their lowest, basic, plans. Not the fastest internet speed. We are tired of the rate increases. Thanks! John

[WingView]

Bravo 👏 👏👏👏👏. Well put together freind.

[slyr]

Great review I have an awesome antenna I'm getting my free Local Tv over the air. But I use YouTube TV which has the number one sporting channels that I like watching Including my home sports.