Every year at the upfronts, we get a glimpse of new programming built to bring viewers to the networks. But that willingness to evolve stands in sharp contrast to the majority of advertisers, which remain stubbornly tied to the past with traditional 30-second spots that have poor retention rates.

David Leider is the CEO of GSTV, also known as Gas Station TV. David has an extraordinary background in media, particularly at the agencies -- both traditional and interactive -- and at Yahoo. Now, his work with away-from-home television has spawned new measurement techniques and more valuation opportunities for all digital out-of-home advertising.

Todd Lituchy has had an extensive media career spanning three continents. He's the president of New Media Vision, which helps clients expand their global footprints, develop new channel launches, and sell product globally. In my interview with him, Lituchy talks about his background, the differences in international marketplaces, TV Everywhere and the Internet's impact on television viewership.

This past month, as marketers and their agencies tried to negotiate the shoals, rapids and terrors of the upfront marketplace, cable network AMC, a Cablevision/Rainbow property, quietly floated an extension to its traditional linear network package: the ability to utilize the Canoe Ventures RFI application (7 million households) plus the Cablevision footprint (3 million households) to bring interactivity to 10 million households -- in the form of a clickable overlay on an advertiser's video commercial that enables viewers to utilize their interactive, channel changing remote control to receive a brochure, a free gift, a coupon.

High-definition TV has been good to TV manufacturers, program producers and consumers. HD helps sell more high-end TVs to consumers who like the big picture and richer viewing experience. Now new research suggests there might be good HD news for media buyers and sellers, too

It wasn't so long ago that the Daytime Emmy Awards took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City and were telecast during May sweeps periods. How can it be that this once-important sweeps event now finds itself banished to the Las Vegas Hilton in June, well away from the excitement of the "official" broadcast season, isolated in a city that has absolutely nothing to do with soap operas?

Jim Multari, director of research for Sprout, had great experience in the supplier side of research before moving to Sprout four years ago. Multari is currently exploring how to measure and position Sprout through the use of custom research and set-top-box data. In my interview with him, Multari talks about how Sprout researches parental preferences, how Sprout behaviorally targets families with preschoolers, what the future is for measurement, and changes in research since he first started as a data analyst.

June 19, 2010 New York Times newsflash: Under intense pressure from the White House, BP, the oil company responsible for the stricken well, agreed to set aside $20 billion over 3 and a half years in a special fund to pay claims related to the spill. Concurrently, the Senate Commerce Committee has made it official. CALM, the commercial advertisement loudness mitigation act, requires that the Advanced Television Systems Committee's recommended practices for variations in commercial volume in relation to the programs around them be put into effect by no later than a year from now.

Something about ABC Family's signature hit "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" reminds me of the kind of television I grew up with -- except for all the sex talk (not to mention the sex itself), which was largely absent from the family-centered series that dominated broadcast television in the pre-cable era. Putting all the sex aside -- if it's possible to do so, especially where teens are concerned -- it has a bright, colorful, retro feel to it. It's expertly crafted escapism, and it rarely feels like real life, but that's OK because "Secret Life" doesn't strive for …

Bruce Friend, president of Ipsos OTX MediaCT, has had an illustrious career spanning over 30 years. And his background, often at start-ups within larger corporations, reflects the immense growth in the cable industry from its inception.