Bochco's War the Start of Coming Storm.

As Hollywood wars go, the ones currently being waged by veteran producer Steven Bochco are especially significant.

Bochco is battling with ABC Inc. and 20th Century Fox Film Corp. over issues that go to the heart of networks' controversial moves toward vertical integration. To contain costs, networks are moving to get more control over their programming, either by producing the shows themselves or acquiring stakes in outside productions.

That has put them at odds with independent producers, like Bochco.

Bochco is suing Fox for at least $15 million, claiming that the studio cheated him by selling reruns of "NYPD Blue" to its FX cable network without seeking higher bids from competitors.

Meanwhile, he is railing at ABC for failing to return the Emmy-winning "NYPD Blue" to its accustomed 10 p.m. slot on Tuesday nights. ABC currently has that slot filled with a new drama, "Once and Again," which is owned by ABC's parent, Walt Disney Co.

"This is self-dealing," said Jerry Isenberg, a former TV producer and the head of the Caucus for Producers, Writers and Directors. "It won't be the last time you hear about this."

Indeed, there is a gathering storm in which profit participants are questioning network "sweetheart deals" made with sister divisions of entertainment companies.

David Duchovny, the star of Fox's "The X-Files," is suing Fox over reruns of his series being seen on FX and Fox affiliates. Alan Alda settled a suit against Fox over reruns of "MASH" to FX. The producers of "Home Improvement" settled their claims against Disney for low-balling licensing fees for the ABC sitcom.

But none of these is bigger than Bochco's battles, the most public of which is the one with ABC.

"Once and Again" is locked in a battle with CBS's new women-oriented drama, "Judging Amy."

A top media buyer explained the dilemma that ABC faces if it brings the cop show back on Tuesdays.

"'NYPD Blue' is aging," he said. "It has a great following with males, but 'Once and Again' has young female appeal, and if they pull the show, all those females will flock over to CBS (and 'Judging Amy'). Bochco is being screwed, but the numbers are there."

As of late last week, Bochco had no idea what ABC's plans were, although The New York Times reported that the network is considering moving the cop show to 9 p.m. on Thursdays, replacing the foundering "Wasteland." Another possible move would be to Mondays at 10 p.m., after the football season, but that night has been better suited to a two-hour movie.

Bochco insiders said delaying a decision puts them at a disadvantage. They need time to promote their show's return.

For now, ABC and CBS have pitted their women-oriented dramas against each other at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays. All the while, Bochco fumes, insisting that ABC is favoring a Disney show over his.

"If this isn't the most egregious and inevitable consequence of vertical integration, I don't know what is," he recently told the Los Angeles Times. "They made it clear they are kissing off the show ('NYPD Blue')."

Others question whether networks would air an inferior show just because they own it.

"The ratings are king," said John Dellaverson, an entertainment attorney and partner at Loeb & Loeb LLP. "I don't believe that any network would put on its show or a subsidiary's show that would sacrifice ratings. It doesn't make any sense."

ABC Entertainment Chairman Stu Bloomberg met with Bochco two weeks ago to discuss delaying the start of "NYPD Blue," which was scheduled to return to the network Nov. 9. To many people in Hollywood, such a high-level courtesy call is like getting a visit from the undertaker.

Bochco has asked ABC to cancel the series and let him shop it to another network. But Bochco's case may not be that simple. A studio has both a fiduciary relationship with a producer and an obligation to minimize the costs of productions to benefit shareholders.

"It's like a lawyer representing two partners in a transaction," said Dellaverson. "One wants to maximize the income to the partnership and the other one doesn't. No matter what the result, the lawyer is breaching his duty to one partner over that of the other. The price is either too high or too low."

Such conflicts, he said, are not surprising, given the globalization of media companies. "It is an inevitable result of vertical integration," he said. "There is going to be more and more of it, and less and less for the independent producer."