Time Warner Cable and CBS: What happened to public airwaves?

The hissy fit between Time Warner Cable and CBS may be over, but it got Joel thinking.

It occurred to him that the channels dropped by Time Warner rely on public airwaves.

Why, he wants to know, do we have to pay extra to get them from Time Warner or any other pay-TV company?

The answer, of course, is that this isn’t about public airwaves. This is about a private company’s cable, satellite or phone network.

Time Warner Cable can’t control your access to CBS if you’re tapping into public airwaves with old-fashioned rabbit ears. Its clout comes from controlling your access through its cable boxes.

That’s what Joel and other subscribers are paying for.

And if that’s frustrating, there’s a solution: Cut the cord. For more, check out today’s Ask Laz video.

If you have a consumer question, email me at asklaz@latimes.com or contact me via Twitter @Davidlaz.