It's all about the pipes -- whether oil runs through it (the Keystone Pipeline) or video entertainment (pay TV and digital platforms providers). The licensing legality of YouTube, one of music's longtime distribution "pipes," is now being questioned by Irving Azoff, personal manager for many bestselling music performers. While YouTube is launching a music subscription service, Music Key, Azoff says he believes YouTube hasn't done all its necessary licensing deals.

CBS has been issuing warnings that another major TV blackout could happen -- this time with a possible Nov. 20 deadline for Dish Network. Last year CBS had a major month-long blackout with Time Warner Cable. Now this isn't about bashing any network or pay TV provider in particular. Many other TV networks groups -- big and small -- have been in the middle of negotiation disputes. Currently, Dish Network is in a carriage negotiation stalemate with some Turner Broadcasting networks, including CNN. So what's new here? Not much. TV consumers are getting used to this drill -- for better …

More than other TV companies, Viacom's young-skewing networks could be the barometer for not only future viewing trends but also subsequent measuring problems.TV ratings for Viacom's main trio of networks -- MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon -- tumbled 15% during the third quarter. But Philippe Dauman, Viacom chief executive, said that 30% of the viewing of its networks was through mobile apps, gaming devices and other platforms not dependent on those traditional Nielsen ratings.

Is someone really worried about NBC and the Super Bowl? Not sure that being 90% sold out of the biggest TV event in mid-November for an event to air February is a big deal -- or a big story. Yet NBC's name was everywhere in the press recently, with the worry that the network is behind. A year ago, by September Fox was 95% sold in the Super Bowl. Well, excuse me! Only 90% sold out.

4K TVs aren't the answer for everybody -- not when there is better stuff coming down the line. So-called Ultra TVs, which are four times as sharp as current HDTV, have gained some traction recently -- again in a small way.

Plenty of broadcast networks, cable channels, and locally based multicast TV networks abound. But more are on the way -- and existing channels are looking to get bigger.

When in doubt, just give them the finger. No, not that finger. In Bravo's case, ads for a new show have created some controversy.

A television ad market that seems less "visible" to major TV executives could mean another changing marketplace -- but not necessarily less money. A weak upfront market now translates into a potential scatter market full of mystery. TV Watch hears that some broadcast networks are looking at mid-single-digit percentage gains in the fourth quarter period. Sounds about right -- maybe a little under expectations. But actual volume? Who knows.

Estimates are that revenues from digital media platforms could overtake traditional TV’s in the next few years. Here’s one projection: Forrester says the amount U.S. advertisers spend on digital advertising will overtake the revenue for TV advertising in 2016. By 2019, digital ad revenue will be up to $103 billion, with TV revenue lagging behind at $85.8 billion But that isn’t the real issue. The main concern is which companies will come out on top, whether digital advertising networks, programmatic services, digital video middle players, or maybe some traditional TV-video purveyors. Despite continued weakening TV ratings overall -- not …

Millennials -- or any music fans, for that matter -- don't buy many albums these days. Rather, they like streaming, picking out stuff on a song-by-song basis. Musicians hate this trend, but new streaming music services love it. And then Taylor Swift's "1989" comes along, bucking a lot of trends.