Methods and apparatus for performing multiplexing of video or other
content (e.g., programs) within a network using feed-back from a
subsequent digital program insertion stage, and/or feed-forward
information from a prior multiplexing stage. In one embodiment, the
network comprises a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) cable network having headend
and hub-based statistical multiplexing stages, and communication between
the two stages is used to improve the visual quality performance and
bandwidth utilization of the output multi-program stream during
conditions where downstream content is inserted into the transport
stream. Business methods associated with the various multiplexing
features described above are also disclosed.