▁direction al ▁anten na , ▁West ar ▁ 1 ▁could ▁transmit ▁to ▁TV RO ▁(" tele vision ▁receive - only ") ▁d ishes ▁only ▁a ▁few ▁meters ▁in ▁diameter , ▁well ▁within ▁the ▁means ▁of ▁local ▁cable ▁television ▁operators . ▁H BO ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁cable ▁network ▁to ▁transmit ▁programming ▁via ▁satellite ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁ ▁C able ▁system ▁operators ▁now ▁receive ▁programming ▁by ▁satellite , ▁terrest rial ▁optical ▁fi ber ▁( a ▁method ▁used ▁primarily ▁to ▁relay ▁local ▁stations ▁based ▁within ▁metropol itan ▁areas ▁to ▁the ▁franch ise , ▁and ▁acts ▁as ▁a ▁backup ▁for ▁the ▁system ▁operator ▁if ▁a ▁broadcast ▁station ' s ▁over - the - air ▁signal ▁is ▁affected ▁by ▁a ▁power ▁out age ▁or ▁other ▁technical ▁mal function ▁involving ▁the ▁main ▁transmit ter ), ▁off ▁the ▁air ▁( a ▁method ▁used ▁to ▁relay ▁broadcast ▁stations ▁to ▁cable ▁franch ises ▁in ▁out lying ▁areas ▁and ▁satellite ▁prov iders ), ▁and ▁from ▁in - house ▁sources ▁and ▁relay ▁it ▁to ▁subscri bers ' ▁homes . ▁Usually , ▁local ▁govern ments ▁award ▁a ▁mon opol y ▁to ▁provide ▁cable ▁television ▁service ▁in ▁a ▁given ▁area . ▁By ▁law , ▁cable ▁systems ▁must ▁include ▁local ▁broadcast ▁stations ▁in ▁their ▁offer ings ▁to ▁customers . ▁ ▁Enter pr ising ▁individuals ▁soon ▁found ▁they ▁could ▁install ▁their ▁own ▁satellite ▁d ishes ▁and ▁e aves drop ▁on ▁the ▁fe eds ▁to ▁the ▁cable ▁operators . ▁The ▁signals ▁were ▁transm itted ▁as ▁un sc ram bled ▁analog ▁FM ▁fe eds ▁that