the medium that loses from high gasoline prices

This is when I'm glad that I'm on TV and not on the radio. When gasoline pump prices go up, motorists cut back on driving -- and that means less time in the car and less time listening to the radio.

Let's face facts here: radio's audience is almost exclusively made up of drivers and passengers. So cut back on time behind the wheel, and distances traveled and trips taken -- and you have less time spent listening to the radio.

So this is when I'm glad on TV. When gas prices go up -- more consumers are likely to stay home and watch free TV. It could mean more viewers for me and for my TV advertisers.

High gas prices can also mean more shopping and viewing on the web.

Of course, while high gas prices might help the audience for TV and the web, it also means less consumer spending... and no one can be happy about that.