just an idea

instead of fighting the torrent sites -

How about using them to gage customer viewing levels - you know what people actually like?
and put the advertising in the television programmes? - yes let Joey drink coca-cola and Homer go to Dennys.
Popular programmes would florish, crappy ones would die. The viewer would not be constantly insulted by their favourite shows dieing because some big wig thought they knew better. eg Jerico that has gone by the way side and firefly, and god knows how many other great shows that have never reached little New Zealand.
Advertisers could pay the programmes based on how many people want to download their shows, yes advertisers could actually find out how many people were actually viewing their product.
And finally the viewer would have the biggest say in what they could view.