All ears

While Time Warner and CBS continue to hash out their differences over a new contract to allow the cable company to carry the network's owned and operated stations, channels 2 and 9 have been returned to our Torrance abode thanks to a $20 set of rabbit ears. Which I got for free.

It took a little bit of time to find the right spot, and it's still not perfect, but when the Dodgers return to KCAL, we'll be able to see them. When "Under The Dome" airs next Monday at 10, we'll be able to see it as well. And the next time we hear that there's a freeway chase, the KCAL News at 8, 9 and 10 will be available to us.

I am still trying to figure out why a broadcaster can get money from cable companies for the same material it sends out over the air for free. When cable television started in the 1950s in Pennsylvania, the idea was to get the signal to more eyeballs so you can sell commercials for more money.  After the sat-casters started to become prevalent in the late 1970s and early 1980s, cable became more popular in areas where there was no difficulty receiving signals from ABC, NBC, et al.

But when these sat-casters figured out they could charge the cable companies a fee for each subscriber, the cost for service went through the roof. I still remember paying $11 a month for 36 channels, including ESPN, in 1988. Now, ESPN gets something in the range of $6 a month per subscriber from the cable and satellite television providers. While other cable nets cannot command that kind of price, there are a lot of channels getting 50 cents or 75 cents, and it adds up fast.

The broadcast networks saw this, and after landmark legislation in 1992 they were also able to demand payment from providers. These providers just pass the costs on to consumers, so bills have continued to climb. The cable companies are not absolved of all of this, since they have been charging a pretty penny for some of their hardware, like DVRs. Despite the fact we don't have any premium channels, the cable portion of our bill is close to $100 a month now.

No wonder people are "cutting the cord," although those who are interested in live sports will find it quite difficult as long as the regional sports networks are able to black out programs such as local baseball and hockey games. But there has to be a breaking point soon (although I will admit I said that about baseball salaries in the 1980s too).

As the conflict between CBS and Time Warner enters its third week, the cable company is offering subscribers in Los Angeles, New York and Dallas a free indoor antenna to receive the over-the-air signals that have gone dark. I picked one up at Best Buy on Tuesday, and it took me about five minutes to get KCBS this morning, but a little more work to pull in KCAL.

So it will be interesting to see how much longer Time Warner and CBS are at odds. Then ESPN's contract with DISH comes up at the end of September, and there will be many more of these battles to follow. A big battle looms when Time Warner Cable gets control of Dodgers telecasts in 2014.

For the time being, we have channels 2 and 9 back, although we might still have an issue if someone or something interferes with those rabbit ears.