Time Warner Cable (TWC) has seized on a sound bite a trapped Hearst CEO David Barrett made before Congress in late June as TWC and Hearst are locked in a carriage dispute. But Hearst could score some points by drawing from Senate testimony Britt made in Washington in 2010. It would take a little legerdemain, but increasingly all's fair in love and carriage disputes.

As has been well-documented, U.S. legislators have been railing against the USOC for allowing Ralph Lauren to manufacture uniforms in China. So much so, Ralph Lauren will bring the manufacturing stateside for 2014. Now, perhaps people of influence should encourage the designer to make its logo less dominant.

A&E Networks posted a standout second quarter as ratings rose at its three flagship networks thanks to new hits and higher ratings for returning series. Helped by the debut of the "The Client List," Lifetime ratings rose 12% in the 18-to-49 demo, while History and A&E also saw increases.

All those measurement companies offering services that would demonstrate a link between TV ads and product purchasing might get a few more calls from CMOs today. Turns out their bosses think their dedication to ROI is pretty wayward, at least according to new research.

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.