stud, sill plate, fire break, whatever...so you be able to see it. A nail plate would only be necessary if the hole was less than 1 1/4" from the stud. I would think the coax installer would also not want a nail hitting his wire, but again, you can see the hole, and fix it if need be.
Also fished romex does not need to be stapled more than every 4 1/2 feet per code. But that is rarely done if you can manage a longer run - like an 8' stud wall cavity. Nobody wants to bust open, then patch, the drywall to put in a meaningless staple. Recessed lights in existing construction is the best example of that. It's never stapled, and really doesn't need to be for all practical purposes.