Though media companies got bigger, TV networks' ad power has leveled off; some would say diminished. All that has shifted the upfront TV ad market into the background somewhat -- not that $20 billion isn't noteworthy.

Parents report they are more engaged with family and TV content when consuming cannabis. The key word here: engaged. You got to figure TV marketers will like this.

Just like TV networks, 38% of podcast deals are made as upfront buys -- media deals done in advance for an entire season, according to an IAB executive. In 2017, $314 million was spend on podcast ads.

Although TV stations have long adjusted to the ups and downs of two-year ad cycles -- big Olympic/political years versus low periods -- it's getting tougher.

It's hard to compare decades of presidential news content and media -- especially since so much has changed with new media platforms. After steady increases in TV ratings for the first 18 months of the Trump Administration, there are now more mixed results.

Somewhat news content-challenged Facebook says it will start versions of U.S. TV news programs this year, hosted by Anderson Cooper of CNN, Shepard Smith of Fox News Channel and Jorge Ramos of Univision -- all to improve news quality.

It is unclear what effect these mea culpas -- in whatever venue -- have on TV viewers and TV advertisers that support the programming. Twitter seems to be the optimal place to make atonements. The print-based digital platform has lower media heat than the glare and immediacy of the TV screen.

At its annual developers conference, Apple revealed Screen Time, a feature that encourages people to limit app usage on their iPhones and iPads. A built-in App Timer can set limits on certain apps, reminding the user to move on after 30 minutes or an hour. Maybe TV networks (or TV set manufacturers) should do the same

Facebook and Twitter have been skewing to older consumers for some time, according to analysis. What do digital media teenagers use most often? Snapchat was No. 1 at 35%; followed by YouTube at 32% and Instagram at 15%.

Here is one Hail Mary remedy: Taking the remaining -- and still beloved -- "Roseanne" cast and make a "Roseanne"-like TV show.