'The Walking Dead' is an extraordinary thing.

Creating more direct relationships with consumers, utilizing the resulting data and insights, is increasingly more valuable - and an evolution of the traditional competency of ad-supported television networks.

The biggest move that put Fox on the map, from an entertainment perspective, was when 'The Simpsons' moved to Thursday night, and that was paired with 'Martin' and 'Living Single.'

I've spent a lot of time encouraging, corralling, protecting, and sparring with creative people.

Some of the greatest shows in history - 'Seinfeld,' 'Everybody Loves Raymond' and 'House' - had puny starts but the benefit of schedule protection, increasingly scarce in today's DVR world. Cable nets can tolerate small ratings, building hits in progress like 'Breaking Bad,' or marathon their way to a 'Duck Dynasty.'