Here in Oklahoma, we have the OERB, the Oklahoma Energy Relations Board Its slogan -- the rather robust "Advancing our state. Empowering our nation" -- is part of its television campaign, where a spokesman talks of how the organization has gone into small Oklahoma towns, like Kingfisher, and cleaned up abandoned oil wells and drilling equipment. These spots show precious kids playing and seniors walking on land previously only inhabitable by EPA inspectors and lawyers who file class-action lawsuits. The message: without OERB, seniors and kids would be playing and walking in HAZMAT suits. Fair enough and the industry is …

Last Thursday night, ESPN offered up a considerable menu of simultaneous live broadcasts. Somewhere around 8 p.m., there was Derrick Rose sauntering across the stage as the first pick in the NBA Draft -- a marquee event that ran through its late conclusion. An hour later came Dallas versus Houston in Major League Soccer, followed by the Canadian Football League -- and all the while there was seemingly endless poker....

Most people in this country have probably never heard of Tom Boonen. Yet he is breaking new ground as an athlete and a TV spokesman -- something sports personalities who front consumer products should take notice of. Especially every athlete who has had a little too much to drink, has been caught speeding, or had one illicit drug floating around his system.

After Rob Reiner directed "A Few Good Men," he was asked if he thought the country would now view him differently. Reiner replied, "Even if I do Hamlet, the reviews would read, 'Meathead does Shakespeare.'" George Carlin, who died Sunday, will first and foremost be remembered for the "Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television," which is also unfortunate, for his career was more than a benchmark for FCC fines, Janet Jackson and "Nipplegate," and nostalgic debates over dirty words.

The jungle of the upfront TV market is clearing, while that of the overall economy is growing more vines. On the surface, the two are going in opposite directions. Perhaps TV networks have better guides. TV's upfront posted 9% gains for its core program pricing metrics, with anywhere from a 1% gain in overall network advertising revenue (to $9.2 billion), to an 8% improvement for cable network advertising coffers (to $7.8 billion). Even throwing in the caveat that the upfront is essentially a futures market with various expiration dates over the next 12 months, it all sounds like good news.

Forget about the usual TV advertisers' worries about the Beijing Olympics. Worry more about whether their corporate banners will be seen on TV waving through some serious air pollution.

The criticism of the coverage of Tim Russert's death was immediate and almost universally negative. From the Orlando Sentinel to The New York Times to Slate, the media was blasted for what TV Newser called " ... an orgy of mourning."

The absence of Tiger Woods for the better part of next year means only one thing in this crazy digital media world: The opportunity to launch the Tiger Woods TV Network. Broadcast and cable networks are now shaking their heads over what to do about their TV golf coverage in the next several months. In this digital age, with the ability to create avatars and special gaming devices, it should be easy to schedule 24-hours of Tiger Woods coverage--playing golf, in real life (reruns), or on Xbox, or against virtual Ben Hogan or running (whoops! You can get hurt doing …

New media executive Steve Safran said at Promax that the best way for local TV stations to grow in the Internet space is to establish brand names that are not affiliated with their own local TV stations.

Think there's too much reality TV on the airwaves? If one veteran reality TV show producer gets his way, all this will be a drop in the bucket. John de Mol, the producer who brought you "Big Brother" and "Fear Factor," has a plan to let U.S. viewers figure out the next backbiting, game, and/or aspirational reality show.