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Comment on The FCC could soon give more power to cable companies

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Alot of people who grew up with cable don't even realize broadcast stations exist. I've had to explain to multiple people that you dont need cable to get abc, nbc, etc.

...and yet, if you want to watch, say, the Superbowl online, you do need cable.

This is probably due to their agreements with local affiliate broadcasters. Which is sort of ironic.

(A lot of the consideration in the affiliate agreements is in the form of local advertising slots in national programming; the national stream can't compete with the local affiliates)

NBC streamed it to anyone for free on their website:

http://techcrunch.com/2015/01/20/nbc-will-live-stream-the-su...

I am unsure of terms for the SuperBowl, but if I want to watch Motocross online I have hoops to jump through to prove I pay for an NBC channel in my cable/sat packege. I do not have a cable/sat package, so therefore I cannot watch on their website.

You can watch all the motos here:

http://www.promotocross.com/mx/video

Maybe not live but I watched both 450 Unadilla motos the following Sunday evening. I have no cable/sat package.

Yup, MX has been offering post race viewing since 2012(AFAIK). Been waiting for SX to follow suit.

Original point stands, broadcaster streaming offerings are worthless to uncabled viewers if they cannot prove they pay for the cabled/sat option. Forget about viewers outside the US... That's where goatd comes in, I guess...

I stand corrected - I was unable to watch the playoffs, but was at a party where someone had cable for the actual Super Bowl.

...and yet, if you want to watch, say, the Superbowl online, you do need cable.

No, you don't. I don't have cable. Watched the Super Bowl online this year.

Edit to say I watched it legally. Not some illegal stream.

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