Paid OTA TV Expanding - How it Impacts Free OTA TV

[mwdxer1]

Good luck with that. It's free now and viewership is falling like a stone so let's start charging? Yeah, that'll stop em from leaving.

I don't think "Pay OTA" will go anywhere either A lot of people are really ticked off with greedy companies like Tegna, that Dish doesn't have access to. I was told Tegna is one of the worst to deal with. Let's see....I am supposed to pay for OTA TV that companies are ripping off the distributors. Don't these companies know, if Direct, Dish, and Cable all dropped local stations, the networks would really hurt?

 

[Justin Hill]

I heard that OTA subcription TV providers, including Evoca, will have their subscribers pay for a descrambler box that connects between the TV and an antenna that unlocks their encrypted paid digital subchannels...
With OTA broadcast, the networks and their subchannels are free, but the Evoca channels are paid premium content...

 

[DiscoLoveGrapes]

I can only see Paid OTA taking off in three scenarios:

1) Rural areas where getting any OTA is difficult, and it's presented as a much cheaper alternative to satellite/cable.
2) Niche markets (Spanish, Immigrant communities)
3) They get sports channels people actually want at a price that isn't bonkers.

 

[dishdude]

I don't watch free OTA, can't imagine paying for it...there would need to be some compelling new content.

 

[harshness]

I don't watch free OTA, can't imagine paying for it...there would need to be some compelling new content.

You're missing out if you're not keeping up with new shows like Wonder Years.

Of course what we're talking isn't paying for the current OTA content. Here we are discussing what is considered pay TV being delivered OTA.

 

[sktn77a]

Its a scam to try to eventually get around the FCC requirement for networks to provide free OTA broadcasts.
Thin end of the wedge!

 

[harshness]

Its a scam to try to eventually get around the FCC requirement for networks to provide free OTA broadcasts.
Thin end of the wedge!

Specifically what FCC requirement is that?

 

[navychop]

Not EVERYTHING OTA must be free.

 

[RONZ]

I remember picking up a couple of OnTV films in the clear in my youth.

ON-TV only required a set top box. In this case you have to have a internet connected so a continuous hand shake is made with the broadcaster for the subscription to work. Also the subscription only works on one TV. As antenna man stated there are two markets in the US that have a low power transmitter that only supplies service to its subscribers


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[Tampa8]

I'll NEVER pay for OTA tv.

May be true for you, however generally saying that when something new comes along is not reality.
I'll never pay for Cable TV
I'll never pay for Satellite Radio
Who would ever need a microwave oven I'll never buy one
Who needs a computer at home I'll never buy one
I'll go to the movies if I want to why would I'll never pay to watch movies at home

I can see the model becoming more towards OTA and streaming and away from Cable. (Satellite) The move may be slowly happening already. I do see an opening for RSN's to have a business model OTA eventually along with streaming and bypass Cable. (Satellite) And no reason the Networks at some point couldn't do the same.
No one thought Malls would start to become extinct but that is happening for other business models. At one time who thought book stores, record stores would nearly die out.

 

[Justin Hill]

I could see it working if ABC affiliates offered a paid ESPN subchannel or if CBS affiliates offered a paid Nickelodeon subchannel on their multiplexes...

 

[harshness]

I could see it working if ABC affiliates offered a paid ESPN subchannel or if CBS affiliates offered a paid Nickelodeon subchannel on their multiplexes...

It wouldn't be acceptable to the pay TV operators to go around them in such a way. ESPN3 is the only property that they could do that with but what's the point since few that can get it OTA can't already get it via streaming.

 

[Justin Hill]

It wouldn't be acceptable to the pay TV operators to go around them in such a way. ESPN3 is the only property that they could do that with but what's the point since few that can get it OTA can't already get it via streaming.

Makes sense. ViacomCBS already owns PlutoTV, so my comment on the latter is invalid...

 

[mwdxer1]

May be true for you, however generally saying that when something new comes along is not reality.
I'll never pay for Cable TV
I'll never pay for Satellite Radio
Who would ever need a microwave oven I'll never buy one
Who needs a computer at home I'll never buy one
I'll go to the movies if I want to why would I'll never pay to watch movies at home

I can see the model becoming more towards OTA and streaming and away from Cable. (Satellite) The move may be slowly happening already. I do see an opening for RSN's to have a business model OTA eventually along with streaming and bypass Cable. (Satellite) And no reason the Networks at some point couldn't do the same.
No one thought Malls would start to become extinct but that is happening for other business models. At one time who thought book stores, record stores would nearly die out.

With so much free streaming and more to come, I just don't see pay OTA TV going anywhere. Even HD Radio has not done all that well.

 

[harshness]

Even HD Radio has not done all that well.

Getting access to HD Radio is a pipe dream for many so it is no wonder it hasn't taken the airwaves by storm.

 

[navychop]

The word for the day is KLUDGE.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Getting access to HD Radio is a pipe dream for many

Speaking of which, I learned today that my RTL SDR dongle can be used to tune HD Radio. I plan to give it a try.

 

[mwdxer1]

I could see it working if ABC affiliates offered a paid ESPN subchannel or if CBS affiliates offered a paid Nickelodeon subchannel on their multiplexes...

What percentage of viewers watch OTA TV now?

 

[primestar31]

What percentage of viewers watch OTA TV now?

100% of the ones that watch OTA Tv, lol

Seriously don't believe the % stats they are putting out to sway people into not going OTA only. IMO, it's much higher.

 

[Justin Hill]

OTA, C-band/ku-band free-to-air satellite, pay satellite and streaming services are having a tug-of-war war over viewership, much like how there was a tug-of-war between OTA, C-band/ku-band free-to -air satellite, pay satellite and cable TV in the past...
We are starting to see cable TV's share of the viewing audience disintegrate, as people migrate to other less-expensive alternatives.