OTA question

Why don't more over the air tv channels put their content online? I'm talking local as well as the national feeds like ThisTV, Retro, Antenna TV, etc.
Seems like a no-brainer so what am I missing?

I'd say because they want people to watch OTA or on cable. Channels like TBN, RT, Bloomberg, or Aljazeera, that stream over the net, are simply trying to create the greatest audience possible. Networks with affiliates have an obligation to their affiliates. The affiliates have rights to local advertising and retransmission fees.

Originally Posted by dkreichen1968

Networks with affiliates have an obligation to their affiliates. The affiliates have rights to local advertising and retransmission fees.

I've often had that same question, since dang near every radio station is online. Never thought of the advertising angle. There are frequent gaps when radio streams go to dead air or play "elevator music." I guess we can't stand such terrible inefficiency when we get to the big buck TV ad$.

Do you think they'll ever work out this wrinkle? The lawyers at Fox News are overworked from back-tracking streams and composing hundreds (maybe thousands!) of cease and desist letters.

Rick

There are many reasons that TV stations don't stream their stations but the biggest one among them is that the content is not licensed for online distribution by the rights holders. This includes advertising, believe it or not (because the adverts are copyrighted).

Streamed radio stations typically do not include their local ads and they substitute different advertising or filler music for their online streams.