This is basically retransmission fees applied directly to you instead of your cable provider. Your argument is more against retransmission fees + advertisements

This is basically retransmission fees applied directly to you instead of your cable provider. Your argument is more against retransmission fees + advertisements. For a company to be able to sell such a product/idea internally and to shareholders, they probably have to keep double-dipping. But, yes, it is annoying.