Thanks to SOWNY member Mace, who sent me this interesting if not upsetting article about the so-called "Future TV" standard, known as ATSC 3.0. (Most of us are still on 1.0.) 

As some here may remember, Buffalo's WNYO, Channel 49, converted over to this new system about a year or so ago, leaving a "night light" signal in its place because the majority of people don't have sets that can decode the new standard. 

But then I read that station owner Comcast (you knew it would have to be a cable company) has started encrypting those signals using the technology built into the new standard, leaving some viewers very angry and without some of their longtime local affiliates.  

"One of the features of ATSC 3.0 Nextgen TV is the ability to add content protection. This encryption prevents recording or even viewing of the stations unless you have a device with the right device. Sadly for most cord cutters there are only a couple of these devices on the market that do support this encryption, and most ATSC 3.0 tuners...do not support it right now.

This means that many will be forced to find one of the few encrypted ATSC 3.0 tuners on the market. If they can’t, they will now need to pay for a live TV service like DIRECTV STREAM or Fubo to watch the local TV that they got for free recently. Or you will need to switch back ATSC 1.0."

Why would they do this? Isn't the idea of broadcasting a TV signal over the air to, oh, I don't know, allow people to see it? I hope this so-called "Next Gen" standard is not the future of television, especially over-the-air TV. This makes me very nervous because, as we've seen all too often, if they can do something, they almost inevitably will. Even if it harms the viewers.

Comcast Is Starting to Encrypt Its Free Over The ATSC 3.0 TV Stations Meaning Many Cord Cutters Can’t Watch Free Local TV Anymore Without Upgrade