I live in Brooklyn NY and I can't get most of the OTA digital stations that are only broadcasting 5 miles away so there you are wrong. So I greatly rely on the HD local channels on Dish Network.
Dish network is not your only choice in Brooklyn.
And I never said the rural population was insignificant. I grew up in a white area. I had a 50 ft tower, a monster channel master antenna, rotor and amps to get 3 channels. I understand that problem. Plus I've been with Dish for over 11 yrs.
But say Dish didn't provide locals and offered a lower cost alternative. It would work for many (probably most) people and save them money. Maybe the distant networks could have been provided to only those who really needed them. Maybe they would still be available from Dish. Maybe Directv would have still provided LIL to those that wanted locals off sat, or didn't want an antenna. Plus I believe the superstations are still available to get CW and Mytv or whatever it is now.
Plus on top of it all. It doesn't really matter. Its just a possibility that I think would have worked. If you disagree, that fine too. Just try to keep an open mind to other possibilities.
I'll just return to lurking around here.
Now back to regularly scheduled thread.............