In the letter, 20 senators express concern regarding their constituents’ continued ability to access programming from local broadcast television stations on digital streaming platforms. The senators urge the Commission to reexamine its proceeding, first opened in 2014, that solicited comments about whether federal regulations governing pay TV providers such as cable and satellite providers should extend to streaming platforms that offer linear programming.
YouTube TV and other so-called skinny bundles lose money because they pay more to carry various TV channels than what they charge customers every month. The hope is that as they pick off more consumers from traditional pay-TV, they will be able to increase ad revenue by coupling scale with advanced ad targeting.
DirecTV Now says the price for the CBS-owned channel is “the lowest monthly rate” of any of its online rivals. It also says it has added CBS and CW local channels in 75 markets.
