A bankruptcy is expected to force approval of Dish Network LLC (Nasdaq: DISH)'s US$1.38 billion offer for TerreStar Corp. , after no other bids were received for the mobile satellite provider. (See Dish Stalks TerreStar.)

Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) is teaming up with The Nielsen Co. to measure how many viewers that see an online ad for a TV program tune in to the show. Their Television Online Effect pilot program kicks off Aug. 1.

Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYSE: TWC) will soon face new competition in Hawaii, after the state issued a 15-year cable franchise to phone company Hawaiian Telecom.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ)'s FiOS TV launched SWRV, the interactive music video network from Music Choice that allows subscribers to control content through the Web and mobile devices.

Consumer advocate Ralph Nader is pressuring Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) to increase the dividends it pays shareholders, telling CNBC Monday that the company is "sitting on $43.5 billion in cash."

Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO) says its connected TV platform is available on more than 8 million devices, including TVs from Sony Corp. (NYSE: SNE), Samsung Corp. , Toshiba Corp. (Tokyo: 6502), LG Electronics Inc. (London: LGLD; Korea: 6657.KS) and Vizio Inc. .

National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) spent $4.57 million to lobby the FCC and Congress during the first quarter.

About 8 percent of U.S. adults owned tablet computers from Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL), Samsung Corp. , Motorola Mobility LLC and other manufacturers in May, up just 1 percent from May 2010, according to Pew Internet & American Life Project .

H1 Telekom will launch an IPTV service in Croatia this fall.

— Steve Donohue, Special to Light Reading Cable