With the same fervor that some consumers display when skipping commercials with DVRs, some network executives want to eliminate a certain Dish Network device. If they succeed, they'll be ridding the world of an engineering feat. At least according to one group.

Get ready for a bunch of headlines about the new Ultra High-Definition, or 4K, TV sets. The prices themselves -- $17,000-plus -- might have some pleading with President Obama to propose a special 4K TV tax. Even as the sets are starting to hit the market, there is very little content produced in a native or true 4K format. But 3net Studios is betting there will be a demand and lifting off with production.

There seems to be a constant flow of stories about NASCAR moving into neutral, if not reverse. The coverage can be pretty formulaic with statistics cited showing attendance, TV ratings and sponsors' interest on the decline, followed by a NASCAR defense.

Signs are trickling out that network executives will press advertisers to accept a new C7 currency that gives the programmers more revenue from time-shifted viewing. But what can they offer buyers for signing on?

For marketers, Facebook and Twitter giveth and taketh away. With TV as a launching pad, use them effectively to generate earned media and an executive is golden. Fail to capitalize and that could be trouble. Listening to Nielsen CEO David Calhoun, earned media is becoming exceedingly crucial to campaigns and CMOs will hold their teams accountable for generating it.

While cable and other operators ink deals with Time Warner Cable (TWC) to carry its Southern California networks with Los Angeles Lakers games, DirecTV continues to balk at the carriage fees it's seeking. DirecTV CEO Mike White said this week what TWC is looking to charge serves as another "example how broken the system is" that has programmers increasingly facing higher sports-rights payments. On Thursday, White's adversary in the negotiations, Time Warner Cable Chief Video and Content Officer Melinda Witmer, said DirecTV is being a bit two-faced.

Rentrak issues a flurry of press releases. Its PR machine is prolific. And yet, the company seems to hold its most game-changing announcements for earnings calls it holds with investors. Money talks?

There's a terrific election-night documentary to be made that CNN or Fox News should flip the switch on tonight. Call it "The Back Room." How many people know how a network makes the early call or projection on a candidate winning a particular state in the presidential race? The film could explain it and offer plenty of drama.

During his brief tenure at the helm of Comcast's sports properties, Dick Ebersol spoke about putting the venerable NBC Sports brand on the company's slew of regional sports networks. The uninspiring Comcast SportsNet or CSN moniker would be gone, giving NBC Sports a powerful local presence.

Four years ago, Sarah Palin generated plenty of unforgettable moments on the campaign trail -- whether by failing to tell Katie Couric how she stayed informed on world affairs or giving Tina Fey splendid material. In 2012, a few things are destined to be replayed for generations -- from Clinton's conversation with America to a video that had a member of the 1% questioning the motives of the 47%.