Viral videos move fast, but when was the last time the Internet delivered a phrase that was almost instantly injected into the lexicon? It's TV that has the power to launch a neologism overnight into exchanges between family members, cubicle mates, even politicians in debates.

Sometimes it bears looking up from the screen and marveling at how astoundingly ubiquitous TV has become. How in such a short time, live sports and news have become accessible everywhere save a tiny spot deep in the Mojave Desert.

Members of a House subcommittee on communications and technology got down to business with industry executives from many precincts Wednesday, debating issues such as the state of the retransmission consent process, rising cable bills and the legitimacy of Dish Network's Auto Hop feature. There was some compelling discussion.

There's a paradox going on in TV sports. No one of course knows what the future media landscape will be maybe as soon next February, and yet content is so coveted, networks are signing rights deals running deep into the next decade.

The swirl of activity in Washington this summer with potentially massive effects on the local station business has been remarkable. So far, the stations are batting .500 with a key at-bat coming. The blitz of activity has been wide-ranging, touching on the stations' two major revenue sources (advertising) and (carriage payments) and involving all three branches of government.

Gannett Broadcasting President Dave Lougee speaks about a certain non-buyer's remorse that can set in during the Olympics. Advertisers in Gannett markets with NBC stations often find themselves entranced by the drama as the Games unfold, but by then the inventory can be all locked up. This year, the 12 Gannett NBC stations have been charged with developing tailored plans to attract more local advertisers for this summer's London Games. At WXIA in Atlanta, part of the initiative starts at the ground floor -- literally.

There's no better way to spend the first Saturday in May than watching the Kentucky Derby in person below the spires at Churchill Downs. Still, a party in the neighbor's backyard is not a bad way to spend Derby day. But, the hoopla can be a bummer for NBC. When everyone gathers around the TV set, the network gets a lot of out-of-home (OOH) viewers not counted in the Nielsen ratings. Arbitron, however, has data that seeks to capture it and shows NBC gained a 34% lift by one metric from OOH numbers for the Derby.

Sony has been airing a trailer for the upcoming "Amazing Spider-Man" film that's action-packed and punctuated by a humorous line from Spidey: "You've found my weakness. It's small knives." But by the time the ad has aired five times in about 40 minutes, a viewer might want to take a freshly sharpened machete to the screen. Thank you, ESPN. The network has been offering a SKIP THIS AD option for video spots running on a section of ESPN.com.

Quite simply, Microsoft is set to launch one of the greatest innovations in TV advertising since Texaco put its name on a variety show with Milton Berle in 1948. No exaggeration. The NUads are not just groundbreaking in what they offer marketers, but viewers are likely to find them - get this - plain fun.

Sure, he might be a diehard A&M Aggie. Or, a UT grad who feels the career services department let him down. Regardless, his Facebook post Monday had some of the volume of a UT pep rally. "What is this 'Longhorn Network' you speak of?" Doug Fullerton wrote.