Well, this is the last straw...

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by MIPS

I'm sure in the more rural areas you might be able to get away with running your own transmitter for the neighborhood.

Don't try that unless you want to get into a lot of trouble. Even if you are in a very remote area of this country, the rules governing unlicensed operation of radio or television transmitters still apply. The FCC can and will cite you for illegal operation of a TV transmitter, even if you are in a rural area, the same as in urban areas. The only difference is that your illegal signal is much more likely to be detected and reported in urban areas. I live in a small town (population just under 3100), not considered suburban Cleveland, in which I could not hope to get away with any kind of illegal TV/radio transmitter operation, not that I actually would do so (I am an amateur radio operator, and could lose my license if I ever tried such a stunt; many amateurs have, at worst, lost their licenses or, at best [!] been warned and/or fined, for just such illegal operations).