Seems that the Comcast-cable network -- now NBC cable network -- G4 will be turning into the Esquire Channel, thanks to a new NBCUniversal partnership with Hearst, so says a number of reports.

When on-air promos are deemed ineffective, both the marketing and programming departments have convenient scapegoats - each other.

A new Comedy Central study indicates millennials feel humor is the leading way to express oneself, beating out music, gaming and sports. Playing off that, the research suggests marketers can capitalize with campaigns heavy on humor.

In New York, Cablevision has been running an overlay on-screen as drama "Chicago Fire" airs on the local NBC station. It's a relatively large static banner that pops up within the programming, carrying the cable operator's Optimum brand and the station logo.

As much as Ted Turner demonstrated remarkable clairvoyance in launching CNN in 1980, he missed the mark when he sold control of his Turner Broadcasting empire to Time Warner. That's too bad. Turner, of course, received a lot of money in the 1996 deal, but if he wanted to remain a major player in the future of TV, being part of Time Warner never allowed it. He left the company for good in 2006 -- the troubled merger with AOL, which Turner endorsed -- didn't help.

Top executives at large media companies routinely indicate to investors that a big chunk of their programming is taking place off the traditional TV set and not being measured by Nielsen. The implication being: buy shares now because once that's measured and advertisers pay fairly for it, watch out.

It would have been something to be with the D.C. lobbyists for CBS, Comcast, Disney and News Corp. as word came Thursday that South Carolina's Jim DeMint (R) would be leaving the Senate. Oh, the jubilation! Was there a "call Morton's and order surf and turf -- let's have the holiday party now"?

Multi-screening, or companion viewing, is just taking flight -- so networks do have the benefit of time, right? Not really.

Coke and Pepsi cannot be pleased. They're spending princely sums on Super Bowl spots next year. But another ad in the game will pretty much rip them for burning through a lot of fossil fuels and wreaking havoc on the environment with their gazillions of plastic bottles.

In this month's Leaders & Bleeders, Jeff Zucker and Susanne Daniels give CNN and MTV, respectively, opportunities to regain their footing, while NBC makes a bold move with the "Sound of Music." Retail sales, however, were weak in November -- never a good sign for the ad market -- and get this: the NFL has a new way of taking money from the networks.