Yes, YouTube TV has local affiliate channels including ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and PBS. Subscriptions include access to more than 100 channels. You can check the local list for your area at the YouTube TV site where you’ll input your zip code to see all channels available in your area. You see all channels, or look them up in categories: Local, Sports, News, Lifestyle, Family, Add-on Networks, Sports Plus Add-on, Spanish Plus Add-on, Spanish Plan, and Others.

The broadcast industry is in a state of constant flux, with content creators, broadcasters, cable TV companies, and live streaming platforms like YouTube TV continually negotiating to both carry and monetize content. What does this mean for you as a viewer? Simply put, you could lose access to certain channels at any time, regardless of whether you're a traditional cable TV subscriber or use a live streaming service. While this creates a frustrating experience for subscribers, it's a reality of the current media landscape.

A recent coalition of independent local affiliate TV stations is urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to regulate streaming platforms similarly to cable TV broadcasters. This would require streaming services to negotiate individual agreements with each local TV station owner across the United States, rather than entering into blanket deals that include all local affiliates of a network like CBS via platforms such as Peacock. Should this initiative gain traction, some stations could temporarily go off-air on specific streaming services.

For example, a recent dispute between Disney and Charter Communications, the owner of Spectrum, led to the temporary removal of all Disney channels, including ESPN, from Spectrum's lineup. While some channels have since been restored, several Disney-owned channels remain unavailable on Spectrum. This situation highlights Spectrum's interest in providing its subscribers with access to the Disney+ app. As premium content increasingly migrates to pay-to-watch platforms, these apps are becoming direct competitors for consumer spending, challenging the traditional streaming services that offer a variety of channels.