Don't forget that in addition to the OTA channels they could also offer the free ad supported channels (PlutoTV, TubiTV, Plex, etc.). I don't know if there would be any legal requirements around that but as a non-lawyer I would not think so because it would be the guest choosing to watch, and of course the guest would be exposed to any ads. It might depend in part on how they are provided but the point is the guest would have hundreds of channels to choose from, in addition to the OTA channels (which might become much more difficult to provide once ATSC1 goes away, and many guests might not want to pay to watch whatever local channels are available in that market. Economy minded guests might well choose a room or a motel that does not offer OTA channels at all if they can watch the FAST channels and/or stream from their phones or computers to the TV).
As for older folks, I am one and I can tell you that I used to watch a LOT of network TV and lately I hardly watch any at all. To me the quality of most programs has fallen off a cliff, and I am talking more about the writing than the technical quality of the shows although that's suffering too (and that's before you even talk about the f*cking overlays that the networks and local TV stations like to plaster over network programming, I HATE those things!). When I start watching a show and in ten minutes I have fallen asleep because it's so boring, I figure maybe I'd like watching something actually interesting a lot better, even if it is just a YouTube video. There are several nights a week I watch NO network shows. And I could easily give up the handful of network shows I still do watch. AND people under 30 seem to not care about TV at all, so where do the networks think their replacement viewers are coming from? The kids who have been watching TikTok and YouTube?
