Ivan C. Potter, Publisher West Kentucky Journal
Tuesday, January 6, 2015 4:40 pm

In the summer of 2014, Channel 12 TV, CBS out of Cape Girardeau, Mo. went dark. For two weeks, Direct TV and CBS fought over new contract rates for programming content.

During Christmas holidays, Zito Cable TV Company went dark in all of its Clinton, KY. systems. Internet access, telephone service, and cable TV all failed.

Last week, WLEX-TV Channel 18, out of Lexington, KY., went dark. This means thousands of Central and Eastern Kentuckians, who use DirecTV, can no longer have access to NBC programming.

The old satellite direct TV viewing is in a lot of pain. Costs for ESPN programming has become the primary costs for satellite TV viewing. This model is losing millions of potential viewers as new generations of TV watchers are turning to NEXFIX, pod casts, and computer movie streaming.

Within three years, the impact of Wal-Mart and Best Buy selling large internet ready Wall TV's will allow more and more users to by pass satellite base TV viewing. The question for policy planners will be, "How will this help or hurt rural West KY?"