With all emphasis on this season's changing TV network schedules due to the disruption of the writers' strike, networks forgot to program one new and obvious area on their airwaves -- commercial pods. The changeover to commercial ratings this season makes this move all the more urgent -

"Television remains America's hobby," said former MTV executive, now media investor, Bob Pittman, at the recent National Association of Television Program Executives meeting. If that's the case, it needs more glue.

Children shouldn't be watching racy TV at 9 p.m. But somehow, at 10 p.m., it's safe to show a woman's backside to those same children.

It's a telling sign when even the most powerful cable operator in the land has trouble making a go of its own in-house cable network. Unfortunately, it's more troubling that the network, Comcast Corp.'s AZN Television -- one catering to a seemingly underserved audience, Asian-Americans -- couldn't make a go of it.

Movies studios are back big time in this year's Super Bowl. And considering the state of a possible devalued Oscars broadcast, there will be more to come in this sporting vein.

Where is the consumer uproar about this season's lack of high-profile, high-star-level entertainment awards? A silent protest has already been leveled in the form of those below-2.0 ratings among 18-49 viewers -- first with the "People's Choice Awards" and its 1.6 number; then with the Golden Globes and its barely visible 1.7 number. But why isn't there a write-in campaign, like what those crazy fans did with CBS' "Jericho"?

V's advertising economics are not that hard to figure out -- even in these striking, trying times. You don't have development. You don't have pilots. You don't have anything to show to advertisers, at a pricey upfront presentation. So you don't have the gaudy affair -- at least for this year.

Trying to comprehend why a body of traditional TV ratings goes higher or lower always works better when you can see its face.Blame the writers' strike, bad reality shows, or high-flying-rated NFL playoff games about why the current TV network season is sucking big time. But what does one make of the news that YouTube's weekly visitor level dipped for the second week in a row? Isn't everything in digital videoland on the upswing?

Crazy writers' strike theories abound in the TV business and consumer press -- more speculation than for Britney's next attempted court appearance or O.J.'s next memorabilia visit to a casino.