I don't want the FCC to force the Cox stations to take an unfair deal. What needs to happen is the FCC and the NAB needs to allow Directv, Dish, Xfinity, Spectrum and others to pipe in a nearby station from a market next to the one where the station is dropped. So, in Pittsburgh's case. You have the option to choose WTOV, WJAC, WFMJ, or WBOY as an alternative till COX and Directv agree on a deal. In 2010, Directv replaced most NBC Hearst stations with Nexstar's WBRE for example.
I think the main alternates should be the NYC locals (East Coast [most are O&Os of said network]) and LA Locals (West Coast).
For those worried this wont work, Here is why it will. In most cases it would be the market next to theirs which would be semi local. All of the stations mentioned above do carry News, weather and Sports from certain places in the Pittsburgh market already so it would be an extension of that. It doesn't work in some areas but in most it would work fine. I do see some viewers going to other stations but most are watching for the network programming anyway. Not news.