Do broadcast networks have the advantage over cable networks when it comes to cable system carriage negotiations? If you are a cable network not connected to a big media company that owns a network, you might find this true. Future contract talks between cable networks and cable systems might get testier now that broadcast networks want to cut ahead of the negotiating line.

The fact that NBC is producing a massive number of 18 pilots for next season says a lot about where the business is going -- and that content isn't dead yet. This is just the information new owner Comcast wants to hear, justifying its purchase. For Comcast, it fortifies a not-so-secret desire to become more than just a data and video pipe.

We all know the facts -- or so we think. No matter. Contemporary TV and media wisdom says heavy analysis is still what U.S. media consumers are looking for, whether on traditional media or new digital platforms.

Lower ratings? It seems not to matter, as long as they find other shows where TV viewers will rush to champion their products and create buzz among other potential customers.

The big test for media companies in 2010 will be how to get consumers to pay for content -- perhaps on a monthly basis. Does this sound familiar? It should. About 30 years ago the gamble was that people would pay a monthly or regular fee to get content, after years of getting TV programs for free.