While prepping for a potential impasse in a carriage dispute with Hearst Television impacting markets such as Cincinnati, Time Warner Cable (TWC) looked to London as it crafted its strategy. The cable operator took pains to ensure that if Hearst pulled its NBC affiliates off TWC's system for weeks, customers wouldn't miss Olympic coverage starting in late July.

Obviously, cable and satellite operators have no interest in encouraging cord-cutting. Sure, they say there's not much evidence of any groundswell now and they aren't concerned about one coming. Nonetheless, any customers dropping TV service willing to survive on a broadband-only plan marks a blow, especially when they tell the neighbors about their $1,200 a year in savings. So, here's a curious one: As DirecTV battles Viacom in a carriage dispute, DirecTV is offering a partial cord-cutter's guide, at least with favorite shows on MTV, Nickelodeon, BET and at least 10 other networks.

Weeks before its premiere earlier this year, NBC couldn't find enough distribution outlets to make the first episode of "Smash" available for free. Amazon, Vudu, Hulu and of course NBC.com were only a few options. There were also screenings in 10 large markets on the same January night. Now that it's summer, how about use drive-in theaters to debut new fall shows?

What a superb week for networks seeking to build stronger online streaming businesses. There were indications on both the content and distribution fronts that growth opportunities are exceedingly ripe.

Is this true? A double-amputee will be competing head-to-head this summer with some of the world's greatest athletes. Guys with legs. Same track, same rules. His distance to the finish line won't be any shorter.

Dish Network should move to show its controversial ad-zapper places it at similar risk to the major networks. Otherwise, it's open to well-founded charges of hypocrisy, while perhaps giving opponents plenty of grist in court.

In this month's Leaders & Bleeders, Nielsen gets credit for proposing an overhaul of local-market measurement, while station groups have reason to fear the next Congress may cut down on their burgeoning carriage fees. Also, the Supreme Court offers cable news networks a potential winner in the court of public opinion and GroupM reportedly miscalculates the upfront market.

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.