said by pende_tim:There is one reason that I can think of: Networks are double dipping. They take the advertising money and also sell the feed to the cable companies.
Absolutely. All the MBA suits that run companies these days are taught to price based on value, not cost. They see value delivering eyeballs to advertisers? Charge them. They see value to viewers for providing entertainment? Charge them (well, the cablecos, but same thing).