Nope, it all has to do with the FCC.
In order to qualify for distant networks, you have to 1) not be able to have your local channels broadcast from Dish, and 2) have your local serving station give you a waiver, basically stating they don't serve your location and it's OK to get distant channels.
90% of the time they are denied. If you can get an off air signal they'll deny you. You can contest that, what they do around here is drive a little van out to your location, put up a big ol' antenna on top of their van, and if they can get signal, denied, if not, they grant it. Believe me, it's a small station with nothing to do (top story yesterday was how the rain was affecting crops).. most stations won't go through that.