This paper examines the operating costs of a hybrid video distribution system that integrates ATSC 3.0/NextGen TV broadcast with OTT/unicast delivery. In our model, a subset of content—such as the most popular channels or VOD assets—is transmitted via broadcast, while the remainder is delivered through OTT/unicast. We derive a general expression for the system’s total operating cost and formulate an optimization problem to minimize it. An analytical solution is then presented, which identifies the lowest achievable cost, enables direct comparisons between hybrid and purely broadcast or unicast architectures, and highlights the influence of key system parameters on cost efficiency. Crucially, we demonstrate that the hybrid approach achieves superior cost-scaling relative to either pure unicast or broadcast under realistic content popularity distributions. To validate our analysis, we conduct a numerical study using real-world TV audience statistics and practical cost metrics for both delivery modes. The results corroborate our theoretical insights.