As much as I want that to be the case, "A television broadcast that doesn't come in free over the airwaves isn't a broadcast show" type sentiments didn't stop cable, and while cable started with a nicer, often ad-free offering, the advantages faded as it grew, balkanization of channel offerings eventually came, etc. Operating a local television station in the US today now requires collaboration with these companies, and they have little incentive to work effectively with smaller local players. They can get nationally syndicated shows through their originating networks, and only really need to bow to local interests at all for highly localized things like news (and even that's dying rapidly).

These open spaces and preferred arrangements have to be defended or they will die.