The news over the past few weeks has been interesting, to say the least, when it comes to ad networks and those who work with them. On the heels of my publisher-directed, but advertiser- and network-relevant Insider article on auto-play video, a flurry of stories hit the wires.

As the number of ways in which we can potentially view programming has multiplied, so have the conversations and questions about the impact of such behavior, and the rate at which it will grow and where it may plateau. An exercise beyond informed conversation (useful though that is) that has particular appeal is creative scenario planning for different circumstances. Imagine, say, a point in time when the share of all viewing (regardless of platform etc.) that is in some way on-demand (DVR, online, VOD etc.) reaches 30%, 50%, 75%, 100%. How would your business evolve to address the new environment …

Video networks, some have said recently, are a media hazard that threatens to undo whatever progress the segment has made in the first decade of this digital century, an unsafe harbor into which Fortune 500 marketers have been irresponsibly ported. As someone trying to build a company attempting a trustworthy reputation in this often unclean space, I can empathize with the many detractors who have cast their doubts of late. The stains that have been revealed have been there since birth, and the folks who have fathered these companies know it. These are the guys who have taken people's money …

Last month I discussed the technical realities of "TV Everywhere," and the challenges we need to overcome as an industry before networks, studios and cable systems will be able to deliver true multiplatform distribution of premium content through a paid, cable system-based subscription model. If you missed that post, you can check it out here. My company supports all monetization models, both paid and unpaid -- but four weeks after my last post, TV Everywhere remains an inescapable buzzword of our industry. And if this technology didn't represent such a sea change in the way content will be delivered to …

In truth, the present transformation of television has been evolving for 30 years. It all started in the early 1980s as TV makers sought to accommodate the desires of video producers to increase revenues. For example, the market for pre-recorded video tapes required that set-makers provide sockets enabling VCRs to be connected to the TV. Gradually more devices designed to mate with TVs were introduced. Examples include video game consoles, DVD players, camcorders, digital cameras and cable set-top boxes. As a result, connection panels became increasingly versatile, ultimately emerging as the center-of-gravity for the transformation of television.

I was recently on a panel discussing online video advertising, and a fellow panelist proclaimed "reach is not a problem for us, as we reach 115 million people according to comScore." This statement is factually incorrect. To accurately reflect his company's reach, the panelist should have said, "We can potentially reach 115 million people."

I have not seen the user features for the upcoming clickable television launches. I can't say whether they will be exactly like the technologies trialed in the early part of this decade. But what I am hoping is that soon clickable television will leverage the Internet in a way that was not possible 10 years ago.

Imagine turning the water faucet on and never being able to turn it off. Eventually, a few things tend to happen. You get wet. Your stuff gets wet. If you're in an apartment and you live above people, the people below you get wet. Their stuff gets wet. You get the picture. To avoid drowning, the best way, of course, is to turn off that water, but, alas, you can't. It just keeps coming.

Viewership of online video is up, reports NielsenCo.'s July 2009 "VideoCensus", quoting a 14.2% increase from last year to nearly 136 million unique viewers. That's great news for the online advertising industry, but it begs the question -- if usage is increasing, why isn't the money following? Perhaps because the technology and standardization process just isn't there yet. In short, though video ads in general are increasing, the adoption rate is still lagging.

The spotlight today from the traditional side of advertising is on set-top-box ratings; although the opportunity, I believe, comes from technology that could link TV content to the Internet (by way of the remote control click).