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I have always received my local channels with an antenna. Back in linear TV days I didn’t receive that many stations.  There were five main stations; WITN-7, WNCT-9, WCTI-12, Fox-14 and PBS- 25. ION-38 was added a few years later.

In 2009, all full power stations transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts. Over the years, the number of TV stations I receive with an outside antenna has grown to over 30 channels. The network channels have the shows I want to watch. A lot of the channels have what I call cable channel reruns or selling things.

I don’t know exactly when streaming started but we pay for five or more streaming services. I cancelled cable several years ago so I don’t receive all the cable news, sports or financial stations I used to get. I don’t miss the news stations because they have become political stations for one party or another. In other words, I can’t get everything without having both cable and streaming.

I watch my sports mostly on over the air channels. A few months ago, I noticed that some NFL games were on the streaming services. ESPN had the Monday NFL night game and Amazon Prime had the Thursday NFL night game. I even saw one game on Netflix. I would like to see broadcast TV prosper in the future and still have my games over the air.

All sorts of other sports are on streaming that I have little interest in.

This is worrisome to me. I’m afraid that NFL football, college football and other desirable sporting events will move to pay streaming services. This could happen slowly or quickly but I’d rather it didn’t happen at all. Many people still watch over the air channels and don’t have cable or streaming. It costs too much.

When I first started streaming, the services were relatively cheap, didn’t have commercials or cost that much. The cost would add up if a household has several. If you want to see what’s on, you must have several.

Over the years, prices for streaming services have increased dramatically if you have the commercial free services. With commercials they’re cheaper but they’re back to being just like cable but harder to navigate.

By the way, price increases appear to happen yearly at this point. Back in the day, 1960’s, the family would gather around the TV and watch local sporting events. The picture wasn’t as good, screen wasn’t as large but it sure was fun.

It seems to me that prices have gone up for everything and inflation is still alive and well. It’s taken a long time for TV type entertainment to realize their profit potential but I believe they have found it and will keep pushing up the prices until we squeal. That is the way of capitalism.

Overall, there are many good programs on the streaming services but I have to scratch my head. Is it really any better than what we had before? I think not. It’s just a new way to get more of our money. Maybe more choice but that will go away when streamers consolidate.

Maybe AM radio will make a comeback.

Al Klemm is a Washington resident and a former Beaufort County Commissioner.