Twelve Black Code Monkeys

While I’m generally not a huge fan of network TV these days, there are a few shows I still enjoy watching, and lots of sporting events still are aired on local channels, local news, etc. In the spring when we moved into our new house, we bought an HDTV and an HDTV satellite receiver and I subscribed to the Local channels and the HDTV package. But of course these were two separate deals. The local channels are only standard definition. Five or so years ago when I first got Satellite where I was living at the time, local channels weren’t even an option. Luckily some laws were passed that enabled satellite providers to offer the channels in local markets. So why can’t I get them in high definition? I called my satellite provider, DirectTV, and they said they would have to submit a waiver request for me to the local channels. After several weeks, I finally got a postcard in the mail saying that all but one of the broadcast networks had turned down my application to receive their content in high definition over satellite. Why? I’m sure there’s some kind of marketing or business decision behind these regulations but for the life of me I can’t guess why. Now, it’s true, I could receive these channels “over the air” with an antennae, but my attempts to do this have so far not met with great success. At least using your standard Antennae, I am sometimes able to receive CBS and a local PBS station, but it’s hit or miss. Occasionally NBC or ABC will come in briefly. Fox has never come in at all. I suppose there are special HDTV antennaes and I could actually install something on the roof, but the point is I shouldn’t have to. It’s inconvenient if nothing else. Can someone explain why these rules exist?