Cable and satellite TV providers have been shedding subscribers for years now as millions of cord cutters flock to streaming services, and the trend is only accelerating.

Traditional pay-TV is becoming less affordable and less of a value. On average, cable customers pay around $105 a month for their packages. Since 2000, the average bill has increased 74 percent, even after adjusting for inflation.

So, what gives?

In the last days of 2019, while Americans were enjoying the holidays, millions of television viewers spread across Mississippi and the U.S. were being held hostage without ever knowing.

Negotiations over fees that local TV providers pay the Fox Corporation had broken down, and popular channels like Fox News, Fox Sports and Fox Business were hanging in the balance. And the bargaining chip was you, the viewer.