But new tools are challenging the old way of doing things by taking indicators like social media buzz and economic data into account. This will give advertisers and media buyers a clearer picture of the “true reach” of the show and its impact on audiences.

The new benchmarks will create a seller’s market because networks can more closely determine how much interest a show will garner from viewers – which spells out more ad impressions and revenue for advertisers.

For example, the Publicis Groupe SA ad-buying firm Optimedia creates listings of the size of television audiences by determining the number of people watching on TV, the web and mobile devices. In the past year, they added social media into the mix and figured in the mentions on Facebook and Twitter about a particular show. The data produces some surprising results. Fox’s Glee ranks just 55 on the Nielsen scale while Optimedia’s Content Power Ratings (CPR) ranks it as 2. NBC’s The Office has a 6 CPR rating and 105 in the Nielsen figures. ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy ranks 11 in the CPR scale and 27 on the Nielsen scale.

Online buzz is also becoming a factor in determining the success of new shows. Publicis’ Starcom Worldwide is teaming up with Network Insight’s to forecast a new show’s ad value based on online reaction. Although some worry that this type of “pre-analysis” could kill some potential hit shows before they reach the air, most are seeing the new tools and figures as valuable in determining where advertising dollars should go.

Creating original shows on cable networks is nothing new. Broad appeal networks like TNT and TBS have created original dramas and comedies for years. Now smaller, more focused networks are following suit with niche programming and advertisers are listening. AMC’s success with both “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad” in the past five years has set a blueprint that many other niche networks are following.

Viewers are tired of the massive amounts of repeats and reality television and are looking for something different. The success of original niche programming seems to indicate that networks have found a good strategy for attracting viewers.

For smaller cable networks, scripted shows like TVLand’s “Hot in Cleveland” and VH1’s forthcoming drama “Single Ladies” act as centerpieces to attract advertisers. This season’s upfront advertising period, which determines ad buying for the rest of the year, is being affected by this shift in programming. Ad spending is shifting from broadcast networks to cable networks more and more each year.

The original programming also presents new opportunities for television development professionals as well. If an idea or pilot is rejected by a major network, writers and producers have other avenues to pursue. This variety and need benefit writers particularly. Unlike reality programming, which is heavy on editing and producing, original programming requires detailed writing and plot development.

The use of location data and other personal information by mobile service providers is in the spotlight once again as The Wall Street Journal reports. Both Apple iPhones and Google Android smartphones regularly beam information back to their respective providers.

The smartphone service providers are collecting personal data in an attempt to create databases that can be used for marketing local services. Considering the fact that the location-based services market is expected to rise from $2.9 billion to $8.3 billion in the next two years, the providers have a strong motivation to create a usable database.

Your cell phone can pinpoint where you are based on the Wi-Fi hotspots you pass by while traveling, GPS and other technology in your smartphone. This location information is transmitted to Apple or Google with millions of other signals and then used by those companies to create maps of the hotspots. Your location is determined by your proximity to the hotspot.

Although location information can be useful for some smartphone applications, the collection of the personal information is what is coming under scrutiny. This form of tracking has caught attention from both government officials and privacy advocates.

This isn’t the first time that providers have come under fire for collecting sensitive personal information: Wi-Fi data beamed by Google’s Streetview cars accidentally collected email addresses, passwords and other personal information about local Wi-Fi users last year prompting the removal of the Streetview project. Apple recently received criticism for the revelation that it is using encrypted databases that track a user’s location for months at a time.

Now that the public and media are aware of this form of tracking, it is only a matter of time before the practice is regulated or stopped. Although with billions of potential advertising dollars at stake, it is almost certain that the tracking will continue in some form.

The world of Internet commerce is based on the power of the feedback placed by consumers for others to use as basis for their own purchases. And these days, knowing what others think of a particular product or service is proving to be an invaluable tool, one that big business is taking notice of. Amazon.com and Netflix are two big businesses that have invested large parts of their companies’ respective resources to find a way to make recommendations more relevant.

It seems that as web users become more comfortable with using the Internet for commerce they are also becoming savvier. People want to read recommendations that are relevant to them, which means that they want to know what their friends and family think of any particular product or service.

World of mouth is always a strong market influencer, and online is no different. In the online marketplace, a social network can steer shoppers toward and away from anything they happen to find online. From music to shoes, people are making buying decisions based on what they’re online social network is buying.

The trend is on the rise as people are using sites like Facebook and Twitter to poll their friends for information about prospective purchases. People feel that their friends are more likely to give honest feedback on something they bought rather than an anonymous review, which in many cases is provided by the business, or a paid reviewer.

With pay-television competitors increasing their pressure on the satellite TV provider, DirecTV plans to blitz an elaborate marketing campaign through television, print, radio and the Internet.

The NFL Sunday Ticket offers subscribers every NFL game played for $300 year – all at once. DirectTV’s advertising will hit everything from Sports Illustrated to the iPhone with straight advertising, interactive football trivia and more.

Sunday Ticket has been offered since 1994, but this is the largest marketing push that DirecTV has put behind it since its inception. The move is likely due to the new four-year agreement the company has made with the National Football League (NFL) with a reported annual price tag of $1 billion.

DirecTV has direct competition from Dish Network with their RedZone channel, which highlights all Sunday games for $7 a month. The largest difference between the two offerings is that Sunday Ticket shows the entire game while RedZone shows only highlights. Both are available on mobile devices as well.

However, the numbers don’t necessarily break down as you might expect: While naturally the digitally-savvy youth demographic, particularly males 18-to-24, make up the bulk of viewers, a whopping third of all 55-to-64 year olds are also tuning in on their computers instead of their television sets.

Perhaps even more notable is that these viewers aren’t always watching their favorite full-length network television shows. In fact, 80% of the most-popular video genres are short form. This may mean that network execs don’t have to worry about the uptick in online viewing as much as they once thought; though numbers of online viewers are indeed increasing, they’re not watching what advertisers thought they were watching.

Shorter-length videos can be equally compelling. More than a third of short-form video viewers said they thought the short form was equally or more entertaining than full-length shows. Here’s the kicker: they said the short form was equally or more entertaining than full-length shows on their televisions.

Network execs used to be concerned that their television viewers were watching the same shows online, thus losing advertising dollars from television ad buyers. Perhaps instead they ought to be concerned those short-form videos, and their accompanying ads, might actually be getting a bigger audience than the long-form shows they invest millions in.

Cable networks are frantically trying to find a solution to consumer’s increasing expectation of instant, play-anywhere shows – without losing the precious fees that they get from cable subscribers.

If you can get cable for free online, why would you pay for cable on your TV?

Malone has some ideas. And he might just be the man to do it, considering he’s also the guy who came up with the concept of paying for television in the first place.

After all, there are still plenty of channels that are available for free, and yet thousands of people across the U.S. pay a monthly bill for extra channels. That concept was completely foreign when Malone first showed up on the scene – but he sold them with the idea of better content being available on cable TV. You want a better product, you pay a better price.

So what to do about getting consumers to pay for cable TV now that it seems shows are heading right back into free-for-all territory? Malone thinks the key might be in how consumers get to view their videos, which is to say through the Internet connection itself.

Online video is only worth viewing if you have a fast enough connection to keep it from freezing every five seconds – which may be where the money starts to be spent and earned. The other idea is pay-per-view, or a subscription, perhaps using Hulu as an aggregate.

If Malone can get consumers to pay for TV they get for free a second time around, it’ll be one of the most impressive accomplishments in media for anyone’s lifetime.

Media spending, including TV, print and online ads fell by 14% overall, with some far more significant hits in the auto and financial services industries. The worst off are car dealers, whose ad spending dropped nearly 50%, as compared to automotive spending overall at 28% – still twice the overall average.

Though online ads were decreasing, overall spending online actually improved, particularly in online display advertising. This is a small bright spot when online ad spending fell 5% in the first quarter, and major financial firms don’t think it will improve in the following ones.

Media executives are still trumpeting their optimism though.
It may be simply attempting to boost confidence in the industry, but the spending decreases are being explained away by other phenomenon and many execs are holding firm to their beliefs that the industry will still see improvement this year, if not next.

Part of the rise in infomercials has to do with the decrease in ad costs. Many Fortune 500 companies are cutting their budgets big-time, and TV is one of the most expensive marketing options out there. With fewer companies buying ad time, networks are getting rid of those time slots for much lower prices than usual, which opens the door for more infomercials.

Marketers getting into DRTV can also enjoy the bonus of being able to see the effects of their spot in real time. Customers respond through toll-free numbers and web addresses, allowing marketers to track what works and what doesn’t. They can easily replace their ad if the current one isn’t working, minimizing wasted budget money.

Maybe those Fortune 500s should look into getting back on TV with more easily-trackable infomercials instead of ads.

For the last quarter of a century, America and Americans have not experienced significant financial hardship. When it comes to answering questions about how long or how bad this economic turbulence will be, there are no real answers.

Boomers worry about the future
Confidence in financial institutions has all but withered away. The focus for many is on thrifty consumerism, coupon clipping and cutting back on excess spending. One big segment of the population, the Baby Boomers, are experiencing retirement at a rather precarious time in history. They are wondering whether or not they can actually live off their savings or social security for the rest of their lives.

Survival of the fittest
Many boomers are shifting into survival mode. They are pinching pennies, carefully watching their credit and avoiding unnecessary financial risks at all costs. They are more concerned with preserving the status quo than taking risks for financial gain.

Will these changes be permanent?
Gallup chief economist Dennis Jocobe agrees that “a fundamental change is taking place” in American consumerism.

Right now it’s too early to tell how long it will last. Marketers are challenged by this change toward conservative boomer behavior. They will need to focus on the value of a product and the need of core customers more than ever before. It’s very doable, but it requires a recognition of the reality and a willingness and ability to change approaches to match the reality.