Cramer-Krasselt has been recruited by NCC Media, the former National Cable Communications, for a two-step branding project. The initiative involves spot cable, but much more. First, the agency will define a product, then promote it in a trade campaign in the spring. C-K is hoping it will get the same traction it earned in a landmark 2002 effort.

When it comes to late-night hosts, has America ever been more fascinated with relationships between a foursome since the Beatles broke up? The seeming addiction to the ups and downs between Conan, Jay, Dave and Jimmy has passed its sell-by date, don't you think?

Maybe it's not surprising that the head writer of Comedy Central's new sports show "SportDome" from satirical news group the Onion is a Buffalo Bills fan. Satire and the long-suffering, heart-breaking Bills would seem to be a good marriage. "SportsDome" parodies the bizarre on- and off-the-field behavior of athletes, and the ludicrousness in the televised sports media landscape.

Back in August, Time Warner Cable PR executive Jeff Simmermon offered a curious confession: He was a passionate cord-cutter. Somehow, he had survived without cable. Not just in his previous incarnations, but for the first 18 months on the job at TWC.

Several years ago, marketers were running so much "green advertising" that Discovery launched the Planet Green network, in part, to capture a bigger chunk. Recently, advertisers may have pulled on the "It's a Start"-type efforts that BP was airing -- obviously the oil company had other reasons for a slowdown -- but CBS Corp. still believes there is ample green to be made from green marketing.

With just a handful of words this week, Turner chief Phil Kent noted the choppy waters syndication industry may struggle to navigate. Studio arms handling off-networks sales for top shows may have to plead with corporate cousins to pull in the reins when it comes to digital streaming.

Let's just agree that people covet, absolutely must have, can't live without access to programming anywhere, anytime. So there will be no need for media companies to go with this nauseatingly obvious cliché anymore. (Here's talking to you, ESPN.) Keep telling us what you're doing to make people happy -- the iPad streaming, the Xbox access, the YouTube on a watch -- but no need to explain why. That's so 2007.

The most entertaining ad on TV? It has to be Sprint's pitch featuring a wonderfully insouciant doctor "treating" a wounded football player.

A case could be made that anyone listening to the radio-cast of tonight's New Jersey-Minnesota NHL game could benefit from a head examination. It's the middle of an endless season and neither team is doing particularly well. And yet, there is an unexpected reason to listen: Sherry Ross.

A look at TV's Leaders and Bleeders as we kick off a new year. Hulu and Comcast are in solid; "American Idol" and Nascar are stuck in neutral.