In Google's hands, will YouTube become a neutered, sanitized and, thus, ad-friendly shell of its heretofore rollicking self? Will Hulu.com be leveraged with more imagination than as just an online repository for "Heroes" and "American Idol"? Will brands and programmers really love the Internet?

In recent years, commercial ratings have come to the forefront of the industry's focus - so much so that the currency for much of the national television marketplace has changed. But the reality is that while our data has changed, our understanding of commercial delivery has not.

There's still a year to go before the next U.S. president will be elected and never have the men and women who hope to relocate to Pennsylvania Avenue asked so much of you. You may have been Twittered by Barack Obama, or invited to create a campaign video for Mitt Romney. Perhaps you've gotten text messages from candidates on your cell phone or received campaign updates on your Facebook page.

There I am, just hours after landing on St. Thomas for a few days of vacation, enjoying dinner and drinks with a group of friends at the Toad and Tart, a local pub. As the last of our group arrives, a friend pulls out his newly purchased iPhone and begins to rave. A few moments later a second person pulls an iPhone from her pocket and joins in the praise. The group hovers over the devices as the proud owners share their favorite features.

Digitalization has allowed broadcasters to deliver more channels. It's allowed cable system operators to expand the number of linear channels while adding on-demand programming. And it has given birth to an Internet so vital and pervasive that it's setting the bar high for all other media to meet. No matter who you are or who your customer is, the digitization of media has something for you.