As a service to viewers, the next generation of TV networks and distributors should help viewers delete more of their recorded programming -- especially those short-lived series with limited entertainment or marketing value.

A lot has been made of the Baltimore Ravens' Ray Rice travesty -- with a hint that the NFL might have been covering up the vivid crimes many have seen on their TVs and other screens thanks to TMZ Sports. Some wonder if marketers might be itchy to step away as a result of the NFL's activities -- or lack thereof.

Looking for a new on-ramp to traditional broadcast and cable networks? Or would you rather take the side streets? Jeff Bewkes, chairman/chief executive officer of Time Warner, believes cloud-based Internet-delivered services offering scores of networks are a good way to attract Millennials and other young media consumers to the traditional TV ecosystem.

Despite growing pay TV and other OTT services, consumers always believe a lot of TV is still "free" -- especially when it comes to advertising-supported programming. The music industry is increasingly going this way, whether with free single song downloads from special promotions, or digital music services such as Pandora and Spotify Now the legendary band U2 is giving away its new album to Apple consumers for a limited time through iTunes Store -- all to promote Apple's new iPhones and its new Watch. The question is, what can TV learn from this?

Lately U.S. TV viewers not only have to negotiate a blithering array of new media and video from all platforms, but an increasing number of last-minute schedule changes.

Football, the biggest sport in the U.S., continues to bring in major ratings via gridiron action on the TV screen. But some off-the-field activity has become public -- like the Baltimore Ravens' Ray Rice cold-cocking his fiancee in an Atlantic City casino elevator. An on-screen video of the action surfaced on Monday.

Before the Supreme Court's Aero ruling in June, CBS said that if Aereo won, it would turn into a cable network. An Aereo win would have meant that the service would not have to pay CBS and other broadcast networks for retransmitting their signals. Aereo is no longer a worry for broadcast stations and networks, so they are in no need of an immediate transformation. Still, in as little as five years, broadcast networks will still morph into looking like cable networks, at least by one financial measure.

Live programming, a growing TV "category," could include more live marketing messages in the near future. We are talking not about live branding and product placements, but about good, old-fashioned commercials -- with an emphasis on the "old."

For TV stations, happy days are here again -- at least for the next eight weeks or so. That's because political advertising season is among us -- bigger and better (wink, wink) than ever.

U.S. box office revenues from May 2 through Labor Day were the lowest in eight years and down some 15% from 2013. Revenues were estimated at $4.05 billion, down from last summer's record $4.75 billion. With the poor summer box office, movie and TV producers and networks will now stress aftermarket revenues: after-theatrical showings for films, and after-first-run airings for TV shows. Will there be enough revenue to fill the gap?