MediaBiz

• Analyze This: Nobody really likes to talk about piracy (cord-cutting is a better topic), but BTIG’s Rich Greenfield wonders about internet-connected TVs being a invitation to piracy ... click here for his musings and how-to (and don’t forget to register). Also, he writes, “Good luck Ultraviolet.” --- Meanwhile, both Comcast and Time Warner Cable announced a deal with Samsung to feed their smart TVs (as TWC/Sony did yesterday). --- [Note: These deals make the FCC's AllVid iniative a bit of a moot point.] --- The NFL’s collective bargaining deal runs out 03/03/11 ... so what to do about NFL broadcasters’ stocks if there’s a lockout? Macquarie’s Andrew Kim suggests buying on “any weakness from headline noise” for CBS or Disney.

• Rules & Regs: CES v. NAB over spectrum? Semi-harsh words from both camps as FCC Chair Julius Genachowski pushes forward with spectrum allocation cheered on by CES head Gary Shapiro.

• Comment: A couple of things as the week ends and CES continues thru Sunday in Las Vegas with TCA in La La Land. First, as Bill Daniels always told us, “This morning I got up and found it was the greatest day to be in the (cable) business!” Right he always was ... and still is as all of these game changing technologies and politics keep morphing; of course, it is more than just cable today. To that, watch out for what LTE and true 4G will mean soon. It really is a big deal and another game-changer. Secondly, the public policy issues involved are in flux ... without a clear short-term answer as challenges to the FCC’s 3rd way mount while the push to reallocate spectrum sputters forward. A “place your bets” situation for us all. - PSM

• Tech: Broadband Forum, in its Global Broadband and IPTV Industry Update, says there are almost 42M IPTV subs worldwide; up 7.3% y/y. --- Verizon's FiOS added Sling.

• Online: Boxee will feature - and sell - CBS content.

• Retail: Reports say Apple won’t let its retail employees take vacations in late January or early February. --- In what might just be a coincidence, Verizon has an event scheduled for Lincoln Center in Manhattan on Tuesday the 11th. --- Ford used CES to debut the electric Focus.

• Heads-Up: The scariest things at CES? All of the Wi-Fi, USB ports, touchscreens and other distractions coming in the car bearing down on you on the freeways.

• Programming: Best TCA coverage has been in CableFAX Daily; click here for info. --- OWN debuted at TCA and Oprah proved she can really, really, really talk. --- Jersey Shore season premiere drew MTV's highest ever series rating at 8.45M viewers.

• Mobile: SNL Kagan’s Sarah Barry James has an excellent update on the Mobile Content Venture’s progress here. --- Verizon plans 4G LTE nationwide over the next 36 months.•