With its proposed deal to acquire Sprint Nextel for $25.5 billion, Dish Network wants to give consumers more -- for the same money. Sounds like a good deal. But who would really pay?

When can TV shows and other general entertainment depict fictional storylines following difficult public news events like shootings? Everyone has a different timeline.

Traditional TV and media companies continue to want to move into the digital world quickly. But a surge in programmatic ad buying is sending out some alarm bells.

TV producers have tried experimenting with all sorts of tricks down through the years to keep viewers watching during TV commercials breaks -- even before the DVR age. Some networks, for example, have tried to do more "organic" commercial breaks, where TV talent or scenes similar to a show's content have aired. Other efforts start a commercial while "in" the content of a TV show. Now Fox is offering up a more obvious effort: the split screen.

Competing research seems to abound when it comes to the world of the second screen. While media multitasking grows, we also have the narrower world of second-screen activity related to TV. TV social media executives will show you that real-time connection with shows - and even not so real-time connection -- has major impact, often for really engaged fans of, let's say, "Hawaii Five-0" or "Psych" voting on an episode ending. Or perhaps contestant voting on "American Idol."

Fox as a cable network? If it goes in that direction some day, would it be a better network in terms of getting edgy shows like AMC's "Walking Dead," HBO's "True Blood" or "Girls," or AMC's "Mad Men"? Consumers might just shrug their shoulders. But advertisers would still have a say. Would cost-per-thousand (CPM) go down to near cable levels -- or would marketers just say all TV is now on an equal playing field?

ow well into April -- the thick of the pre-upfront season -- upfront revenue estimates are abounding. Barclays Capital says broadcasters will get to $9.2 billion this upfront season and cable networks $9.9 billion. Modest 5- 7% cost-per-thousand price increases are expected. Here's what might be different this year: a continued influx of different kinds of packaged deals, including more combinations of traditional TV and digital impressions (including video-on-demand programming).

Everybody loves a TV renegade -- because they can stir the pot and give consumers and TV business partners something to talk about. If not, they can always use that information as leverage. Such is the case with Aereo -- and, to a lesser extent, Dish Network. So what happens if your favorite TV renegades join forces? Dish and Aereo are reportedly having business conversations.

TV brands still carry some weight. But they are fraying around the edges. Replace a Jay Leno with a Conan O'Brien? The "Tonight" show didn't hold up so well in the fall of 2009. What about Jimmy Fallon in 2014? There continues to be broadcast ratings erosion -- in all dayparts. If Fallon keeps Leno's numbers -- exactly the same as they are today - that would be a victory.

In my perfect fantasy TV world, Discovery Channel's new "Pot Cops" should be a lead-in to Food Network's "Cupcake Wars." Maybe Showtime's "Weeds" would come afterward. Think of the promotional possibilities -- with humor included. Even if you don't have a prescription for medical marijuana, who doesn't get the munchies while watching a lot of TV?