• by Adam Buckman , Featured Columnist, 10 hours ago

Not too long ago, networks fought with cable systems -- and occasionally a carrier such as DirecTV -- for carriage-agreement renewals at expiration time.

They might still wage those battles, but a carriage battle under way this week between Fox and YouTube TV serves as an illustration of the way power is shifting in the TV business.

Local cable systems were once the most powerful gatekeepers in television. Today, in the era of cord-cutting, they are weakening.

At the same time, internet-streaming services such as YouTube TV are growing. They are the new gatekeepers.

The strategy undertaken by Fox to draw attention to its conflict with YouTube TV and gain public support is a familiar one.

This week, Fox has been running spots on its network and local TV stations (where we saw one on Monday night) alerting viewers to the fact that they may soon lose access to the Fox network, Fox News Channel, NFL football games and a few other attractions unless a deal can be made.

Not surprisingly, the Fox campaign has been positioning YouTube TV -- a unit of Google (Alphabet Inc.) -- as a heartless villain intent on pulling “Hannity” and “Watters’ World” out from under the millions who watch Fox News, not to mention the NFL practically on the eve of the new season.

Another part of Fox's strategy applies another common tactic -- the establishment of a dedicated website designed to draw even more attention to its cause, and urge its audiences to contact YouTube TV and let them have it.

The home page also displays icons to click that invite ticked-off Fox fans to contact YouTube TV, and post comments to @YOUTUBETV on X.

There is even a feature to “see how you are affected” by providing your postal code. When I did it, I learned that I stand to lose Fox 5 (WNYW), My9 NJ (WWOR), Fox Sports 1, FS2, Big Ten Network, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network and Fox Deportes -- if I were a YouTube TV subscriber, which I am not.

But even if I was a subscriber, I would still have access to those networks from my local cable provider (in my case, Spectrum) since I have not yet cut the cord.

Thus, I would not likely get bent out of shape if YouTube TV suddenly stopped carrying these Fox channels.

Fox's battle is aimed at those who have cut the cord and rely on YouTube TV for watching what was once the exclusive province of local cable.

How many of these kinds of people are out there? Various internet sources peg the number of YouTube TV subscribers at 9.4 million as of last April.

That does not sound like much, but cord-cutting is likely here to stay. YouTube TV and its ilk are the beneficiaries of that. They are likely here to stay too.

Fox’s current distribution agreement with YouTube TV was set to expire on Wednesday at 5 pm. Eastern. By the time this TV Blog is published on Thursday, the dispute may have been settled.