[Ingersoll]

This is merely my opinion. So... I did a search for a similar topic and found nothing. If this is the wrong place, I am sorry, but a lot of the content in this post centers on content.

¶Sure, there have been a few great broadcast T.V. shows, but broadcast T.V. is almost entirely garbage. It’s overrun with sitcoms, reality shows, infomercials, talk shows, soap operas, and shows with people suing each other.
¶Instead of carrying current T.V. shows and movies, over the air T.V. plays old movies and T.V. shows. This is especially true of the additional channels which have content decades old. Also, sorely lacking from antenna T.V. is educational programming. Really, there is only one educational channel on broadcast and that is P.B.S. Cable has History, Travel, Science, Smithsonian, National Geographic, Animal Planet, and Nat Geo Wild. The final thing missing from the air waves is 24 hour news and weather. I looked at the broadcast channels available to a city of 3 million and did not find a single 24/7 weather or news station.
¶Broadcast is unfortunately sanitized. TVMA shows and R-Rated movies are either seldom or non-existent.
With services like Sling having great channels for $40/month, I don’t see how O.T.A. will survive.

I have little confidence that the rest of the T.V. spectrum will not be sold off to internet and telephone companies. Given payment for spectrum auctions combined with the expense of running a large, powerful T.V. mast, I have no confidence broadcasters will not turn off their transmitters. Adding to the pressure to darken transmitters is the fact cable companies do carry network T.V.


A final though on O.T.A. programming: It would be better if Amblin, Davis Films, Dimension Films, Lakeshore Entertainment, Lionsgate Films, Miramax, Sony, Tribune, and Turner had content or much more content on broadcast.


Yes, I mentioned Sling, but no, unfortunately I am not being paid by them.

 

[RayGuy]

OTA is here to stay. Why? Because it's free. There are lots of people in the US of A (the number grows daily) who cannot afford to pay the cable company their outrageous fees, as feeding the kids takes priority. Not to mention, OTA gives access to the uneducated, who are the perfect vehicle for the rich folks to influence.

 

[LNEWoLF]

This is merely my opinion. So... I did a search for a similar topic and found nothing. If this is the wrong place, I am sorry, but a lot of the content in this post centers on content.

¶Sure, there have been a few great broadcast T.V. shows, but broadcast T.V. is almost entirely garbage. It’s overrun with sitcoms, reality shows, infomercials, talk shows, soap operas, and shows with people suing each other.
¶Instead of carrying current T.V. shows and movies, over the air T.V. plays old movies and T.V. shows. This is especially true of the additional channels which have content decades old. Also, sorely lacking from antenna T.V. is educational programming. Really, there is only one educational channel on broadcast and that is P.B.S. Cable has History, Travel, Science, Smithsonian, National Geographic, Animal Planet, and Nat Geo Wild. The final thing missing from the air waves is 24 hour news and weather. I looked at the broadcast channels available to a city of 3 million and did not find a single 24/7 weather or news station.
¶Broadcast is unfortunately sanitized. TVMA shows and R-Rated movies are either seldom or non-existent.
With services like Sling having great channels for $40/month, I don’t see how O.T.A. will survive.

I have little confidence that the rest of the T.V. spectrum will not be sold off to internet and telephone companies. Given payment for spectrum auctions combined with the expense of running a large, powerful T.V. mast, I have no confidence broadcasters will not turn off their transmitters. Adding to the pressure to darken transmitters is the fact cable companies do carry network T.V.


A final though on O.T.A. programming: It would be better if Amblin, Davis Films, Dimension Films, Lakeshore Entertainment, Lionsgate Films, Miramax, Sony, Tribune, and Turner had content or much more content on broadcast.


Yes, I mentioned Sling, but no, unfortunately I am not being paid by them.

https://www.avsforum.com/forum/25-hdtv-technical/1995418-atsc-3-0-a.html

 

[Zookster]

With the wave of cord-cutting the past three to four years, antenna sales have become a booming business, not to mention devices one can easily buy and setup to record OTA. Here's a recent LA Times article on the subject: TV antennas are making a comeback in the age of digital streaming

From the article:

Nielsen estimates that 13.8% of U.S. homes depend on antennas to get their TV, up from 10.3% in 2014. Research firm GfK North America puts the number of over-the-air TV homes at 16.4 million.
...
Though worrisome for Hollywood, the trend has been a boon to antenna manufacturers like Channel Master. Although it does not disclose sale figures, the Chandler, Ariz.-based manufacturer has recently doubled the size of its facilities to meet demand for its products, said Joe Bingochea, the company’s president.

The article also address the increase of live TV OTT services, like Sling and YouTube TV (I personally have the latter).

At any rate, there are any number of free apps that give you 24-hour news and weather. And if you want documentaries/educational programming, and if what Netflix or Hulu carries isn't enough, CuriosityStream is relatively cheap for the amount of content.

 

[Nayan]

Sure, there have been a few great broadcast T.V. shows, but broadcast T.V. is almost entirely garbage. It’s overrun with sitcoms, reality shows, infomercials, talk shows, soap operas, and shows with people suing each other.

You aren't wrong . The only things I watch OTA are local/national news, Jeopardy, Hell's Kitchen, sports and an occasional show on PBS. I haven't watched any actual shows as none of them appeal to me. One of the big reasons I keep my Sat service is because of the variety (I watch the channels you mentioned plus others).

The 24/7 news and weather can be gotten from the internet now, so there's really no reason for any of the Big Four to devote a channel to it. As far as the old stuff the sub-channels show, Advertisers pay and someone must be watching, otherwise they would be shut down. I grew up in those era's, have seen the shows and don't plan on watching them again (not to mention they don't look so great on a big 4K screen).

As far as broadcast being 'sanitized', that's the FCC's doing (think of the children ya heathen! ) and I don't see that changing in the near future. As long as there are folks who will clutch their pearls at the word 'Darn', it'll stay squeaky clean. I kind of like raw language (and use it!) and to watch movies/shows the way the writers/artists intend it to be shown, so that's another plus for pay TV.

OTA reminds of the early days of DIY Sat. You could point the giant dish at a bird and get all kinds of programming. Today it's mostly filled with religious programming and everything else is scrambled. OTA might be headed in the same direction, but it'll still take awhile to get there.