Jack Smith has the unusual title of Chief Product Officer for Simulmedia, which means that he determines what systems the company should build. And yet, it is not IT; his work touches all aspects of the business, such as research, sales and marketing. Jack, who comes to Simulmedia with an extensive experience in radio, the Internet and television, shares his views on a range of issues, from Big Data in TV advertising, set-top-box data in measurement, Connected TV, privacy issues and upcoming trends in the media landscape.

I've been thinking about which new broadcast series have distinguished themselves as the best of the freshman class now that they have all had a chance to grab our attention and show their stuff (except for Fox's not-good "I Hate My Teenage Daughter" which premieres next week). The short list I came up with consists of two shows I picked at the start of the season -- CBS' "2 Broke Girls" and Fox's "New Girl" -- plus one surprise addition: ABC's "Revenge."

I've been thinking about which new broadcast series have distinguished themselves as the best of the freshman class now that they have all had a chance to grab our attention and show their stuff (except for Fox's not-good "I Hate My Teenage Daughter," which premieres next week). The short list I came up with consists of two shows I picked at the start of the season -- CBS' "2 Broke Girls" and Fox's "New Girl" - plus one surprise addition: ABC's "Revenge." These three programs have entertained me more consistently than any other freshman efforts this fall, but I have …

A way to insure privacy for viewers and consumers is to "anonymize" the data points so subscriber information cannot be linked back to a specific house, box or person. When we say "anonymization," what do we really mean? Let's examine some terms and definitions associated with anonymization:

One of the things I enjoy most about what I do is that it gives me the opportunity to connect with other entrepreneurs. No matter the firm, no matter the field, I always find it energizing to meet smart and motivated people who are passionate about great ideas -- their ideas. So it's a real treat for me every year to attend the Intel Capital CEO Summit, as I did last week. There were a lot of exciting conversations, inspiring stories, and of course, fantastic speakers like author and consultant Keith Ferrazzi, Marissa Mayer from Google, and Intel execs Dadi …

The 2011-12 television season is moving forward largely as predicted, with CBS remaining its solid self, Fox having a better fall than usual because of building interest in "The X Factor" and NBC crumbling under the weight of so many dreadful new shows and so many dreadfully tired old ones. And then there's ABC, suddenly and surprisingly the network to watch, even if everything isn't going as planned.

Bob Shullman, President IPSOS Mendelsohn, is a veteran in the marketing research and strategy discipline for a range of important media brands. Through his efforts, Ipsos Mendelsohn has become synonymous with expertise in the high-end consumer marketplace. In my interview with him, Bob talks about his work at Mendelsohn, the merging of IPSOS and Mendelsohn in 2008, and trends in the affluent marketplace. Bob also offers some interesting insights into future economic trends as it pertains to the wealthiest American consumers.

I'm sure there are many examples to be cited, especially in recent basic and pay cable history, but at the moment I can't recall another series in which a main character went as far as ruthless SAMCRO president Clay Morrow did in this week's jaw-dropping episode of FX's biker drama "Sons of Anarchy."

One of the most important issues regarding the rollout and eventually use of Set-Top-Box data for its various measurement uses and capabilities is privacy. Not only is privacy a legislative concern, it is also a consumer and public concern. As stated in the CIMM whitepaper, Set-Top-Box data needs privacy fail-safes that comply with government rules, are reasonably respectful of consumer privacy interests and that indemnify data originators. As we step into the realm of privacy concerns and solutions, let's start at the beginning: thinking about privacy at the onset of a venture and grappling with the very basics of viewer …

Tim Brooks is well known and respected in many areas of the media industry. Not only is he a leading researcher with a career in broadcast (CBS and NBC), agency (NW Ayer) and cable (Lifetime, USA Network), he is also deeply involved in music, especially early American music. His effort on behalf of lost early 20th-century African-American recordings has earned him a Grammy Award as well as the reputation as one of the leading voices in audio copyright. Tim is also a prolific author of seven books, including the reference book "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable …