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Today's Headlines
Friday, 2/17/12

Internet Giants Planning 'Upfront' Ad Sales Event
Wall Street Journal
Major online media companies, including Google, Yahoo, Hulu and AOL, are planning an "upfront" ad sales event in April, elbowing in on TV's territory. The event comes as more companies create web video programming. "We need to show there is a new game in town."

Apple's New CEO Seen as 'Amazingly' Accessible
Barron's
After talking at the Goldman Sachs tech confab in a relaxed and open manner, Apple CEO Tim Cook did an interview with the Wall Street Journal about the new Mac operating system. "I don't think I can recall Steve Jobs doing this much chit-chatting in one week."

News Corp: Murdoch Plans Sunday Sun Tabloid
Guardian
Rupert Murdoch has told journalists at News International that he will launch the Sun on Sunday "very soon." Murdoch reassured staff at his embattled newspaper group by confirming that he will remain in London for "the next several weeks" to show his "unwavering support."

Discovery: Key to OWN Success Lies with Oprah
CNBC
Discovery has reported revenue growth. But on the earnings call, analysts focused on the company's stake in OWN, the Oprah Winfrey network. Top execs stressed that Winfrey will have a much greater on-air presence this year. "Seems the pressure is on Oprah to deliver."

Turner, CBS: March Madness No Longer Free Online
Associated Press
Some fans will no longer be able to watch every NCAA men's basketball tournament game online for free. The model for streaming March Madness will change, according to Turner, CBS and the NCAA. Fans can pay $3.99 to see every game on multiple platforms.

Hulu Plus Arrives on Nintendo Wii Game Console
Digital Trends
Since approximately 4.5 million new households added the Nintendo Wii to their home theater, the gaming company is rolling out support for expanded entertainment options through Hulu. While the app is free to download, the Hulu Plus service costs $7.99 a month.

Myspace Names Fox Exec as Entertainment Head
Los Angeles Times
Myspace has wooed a former Fox exec. As the site's new entertainment president, Roger Mincheff will be responsible for original programming and content. He said he plans to promote Myspace as a digital "farm system," where budding talent can be discovered.

Comedy Central: Colbert Stops Show for Mom
New York Post
Stephen Colbert shut down his late-night comedy show this week, reportedly for his ailing 91-year-old mother. The actor caused a stir when he said only that he was canceling the shows due to "unforeseen circumstances." Repeats will air until further notice.

MSNBC Parts Ways with Commentator Buchanan
Mediaite
Conservative commentator Pat Buchanan is out at MSNBC, writing in the American Conservative that his "days as a political analyst at MSNBC have come to an end." The news channel confirmed the news. "After 10 years, we've parted ways. We wish him well."

CNN Cancels Debate After Candidates Decline
National Journal
CNN canceled its March 1 Republican presidential debate after three of four candidates — Mitt Romney, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum — declined to participate, citing busy campaign schedules. A Feb. 22 debate co-sponsored by CNN is still scheduled.

Fox News: O'Reilly Book on JFK Murder Coming
Associated Press
After the big success of "Killing Lincoln," Bill O'Reilly is back on the case of a presidential assassination. The Fox News Channel host and best-selling author is collaborating with Martin Dugard on "Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot," due out this fall.

HarperCollins in Big Book Deal with Amanda Knox
EW
Amanda Knox, the 24-year-old American who was imprisoned on murder charges for four years in Italy, has signed a book deal with HarperCollins for close to $4 million, following a heated auction. Said HarperCollins: "Knox will give a full and unflinching account."

Facebook Adds 12 in Latest Wave of Media Apps
TechCrunch
The Daily Show, MSNBC, BuzzFeed, and the Huffington Post are among the media outlets launching Facebook open graph reader and video watching apps. The new apps will hope to score the same traffic boosts attained by the Washington Post, Yahoo and Digg.

MSN to Seek Younger Users with News Briefs
Bloomberg
Microsoft, trying to attract younger Internet users, is bolstering its MSN site with a service that produces short news synopses based on popular topics on search and social-media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. "We skew a little bit older than we'd like."

Twitter Unveils Self-Service Advertising System
Associated Press
Buying ads on Twitter is about to get easier for small businesses as the online messaging service adds a key piece to its moneymaking model. Twitter has unveiled an automated system that will enable advertisers to manage campaigns without having to deal with sales reps.

Pinterest: Huge Traffic, Still No Business Model
Wall Street Journal
Pinterest, which lets users create online scrapbooks, has grown tenfold in the past six months. However, the start-up isn't sure how it is going to make money. Its founders aim to follow the path of Facebook and Twitter, both of which grew quickly without a business model.

AOL Board Seats Eyed by Activist Hedge Fund
New York Post
Starboard Value, which has increased its stake in AOL to 5.1%, is said to be preparing to launch a battle for board seats. The hedge fund is gearing up to nominate its own slate of directors after calling on AOL to overhaul its money-losing media strategy.

Yelp User Review Site to Raise $100 Million in IPO
Bloomberg
Yelp, the user-generated review website, plans to raise as much as $100 million in what may be the first initial public offering from a major Internet company this year. The IPO will probably come ahead of Facebook, which filed to raise $5 billion on Feb. 1.

Demand Media Aims to Redo Business Model
Los Angeles Times
Demand Media, the web company whose properties include Livestrong and eHow, reported a $6.4 million loss in the fourth quarter. "The business changed fundamentally when Google changed its algorithm. The business model they had for producing content no longer works."

Groupon to Test $30 VIP Daily Deals Program
Chicago Tribune
Groupon is testing a new program called Groupon VIP, the daily deals company's first foray into a paid product for subscribers. The subscription-based loyalty program costs $29.99 a year after a three-month free trial period and provides early access to deals.

Newsy App Lets Users Watch News Video Offline
Next Web
Newsy has updated its free iPad and iPhone apps and launched on the Kindle Fire, the video news service has announced. The app also lets users add videos to a queue and watch them in bulk — a lean back experience which is well suited for tablets.

Spanfeller's Daily Meal Adds Online Video Network
Adweek
Spanfeller Media Group has announced the launch of an online video network for its foodie site the Daily Meal, which launched in January of last year. The Daily Meal Video Network is a collection of 300 originally produced videos weaved throughout the site.

TV Guide to Look Beyond Standard Mobile Ads
Digiday
TV Guide is looking beyond standard display ads and concentrating on custom integrations, in the hope that more inventive advertising opportunities will help brands get closer to the users. "We can only get so far, particularly on smartphones, with standard units."

Forbes Staffers Exit Amid Social Media, Blog Push
New York Post
There are more shake-ups afoot at Forbes, where chief content officer Lewis DVorkin has been pushing blogging and social media. Many veteran staffers have decamped in recent days, some of whom were replaced by freelancers. "We're reallocating resources."

The Economist: A Contrarian Approach Pays Off
Reuters
The Economist increased its combined print and digital paid circulation to 1.59 million during the July-December 2011 period, marking the first time it passed 1.5 million circulation. While other newsweeklies deliver shorter articles, The Economist is increasing its long-form stories.

Men's Health Leads Digital Editions in Britain
Media Week
British magazines have reported paid-for digital edition numbers for the first time, and men's titles registered the highest circulations. Rodale's Men's Health is the leading digital title, with 7,779 paid-for downloads in the six month period to the end of December.

Report: Magazine Readers Prefer Tablets to Print
CyberJournalist
Some 67% of tablet users said they would rather read an electronic version of a magazine than a paper version, according to media measurement and insights firm GfK MRI. Nonetheless, 48% said that digital magazines take too long to download.

Philly Inquirer, Daily News to Share News Coverage
Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com, which are up for sale, will soon be sharing some news coverage. "At a time when we're trying to maximize our resources, all three editors have decided that this is best way to serve our readership."

New York Times Journalist Shadid Dies in Syria
New York Times
New York Times reporter Anthony Shadid, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner who strove to capture untold stories in Middle East conflicts, died in Syria after slipping into the country to report on the uprising against its president. Shadid apparently died of an asthma attack.

Reuters U.S. Signs on Yahoo, AOL, MSNBC.com
Advertising Age
Reuters introduced its general U.S. news service in late 2010 with one client, Tribune. Now three major portals — Yahoo, AOL and MSNBC.com — have signed on to Reuters' U.S. news push. Reuters is on a mission to become the "best journalism organization in the world."

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Philly Inquirer, Daily News Seek to Cut 37 Jobs
Philadelphia Inquirer
In a cost-cutting move, the parent company of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News said it would reduce the number of newsroom positions by 37 by the end of March. The move was not unexpected since a plan was announced last fall to create one newsroom.

Murdoch's Sun Probed for 'Sustained Criminality'
Reuters
An investigation into News Corp.'s top-selling British newspaper, the Sun, is said to have uncovered evidence that it paid tens of thousands of pounds in retainers to public officials for tipoffs. Much of the evidence passed to police has been provided by News Corp.

Reed Elsevier Rules Out Break-Up of Company
Financial Times
Reed Elsevier CEO Erik Engstrom has ruled out the sale of any of the publisher's main divisions, dismissing investor calls for a break-up. Reed, whose portfolio includes LexisNexis and the trade publication Variety, will only consider selling off smaller, non-core assets.

Sail, Power & Motoryacht Magazines Are Sold
Folio
Active Interest Media, the enthusiast publisher, has taken over the marine group from Source Interlink Media in an asset deal. The brands included in the transaction are the monthly magazines Power & Motoryacht and Sail. Terms were of the deal not released.

Sports Illustrated App Reveals Swimsuit Videos
ClickZ News
The 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue includes a new mobile campaign powered by NellyMoser. Behind-the-scenes videos of the 19 swimsuit model photo shoots can be launched from the magazine's pages using a special app for iPhone, iPad and Android.

Wired Magazine Gets a Branded Café in Taiwan
TechOrange Global
Conde Nast's newly launched edition of Wired magazine in Taiwan coincides with the opening of a Wired Café in downtown Taipei. Registered Wired.tw users can log in and create a unique code to use at the café to get a copy of the magazine.

Spin to 'Re-Imagine' Magazine in Larger Format
Adweek
The March/April issue of Spin magazine will be considerably larger and heavier than before, with thicker paper stock and a 9.5" x 12" trim size that will allow more attention to photography and design. "We wanted to re-imagine what a music media brand can be in 2012."

Hollywood Reporter, Billboard in Deal with AP
Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard, two entertainment media brands of Prometheus Global Media, will make their content available to digital customers of the Associated Press. "It makes for a comprehensive package of entertainment stories every day."

Atlantic Staffers Grumble as Execs Go to St. Bart's
BuzzFeed
Atlantic Media owner David Bradley is paying to send 20 senior execs and editors to St. Bart's, a posh French Caribbean destination. The trip comes at what some see as a difficult time for the company. "Print is not doing as well as one would hope," said a spokeswoman.

Enquirer Depicts Whitney Houston Death Scene
Jezebel
The National Enquirer has published a story called "Whitney's Final Minutes," in which the American Media-owned publication recreates Whitney Houston's death scene. The cover presents a photo of an unconscious woman, with the text "photo re-creation."

AP to Stream Whitney Houston's Funeral Online
Associated Press
The Associated Press will be allowed a camera at Whitney Houston's private funeral Saturday in Newark. The news agency will stream the service on the Internet at livestream.com/aplive. The event also will be available to broadcasters via satellite.

Politico Seeks Producer for Extension Into TV
Washington Post
Politico has filed an application to trademark "Politico TV." The filing indicates that the political news organization "has intent to use it." Politico is now said to be looking to hire someone in the capacity of executive producer to manage its TV build-out.

Bleacher Report to Launch Series on YouTube
The Wrap
Bleacher Report has continued its rapid expansion, announcing four new series that will debut on the sports web publisher's channel on YouTube starting this week. "Video is great platform for us in delivering content to today's connected viewer."

Bay Citizen Merger Deal May Result in Layoffs
Wall Street Journal
Layoffs are expected if the Bay Citizen, the San Francisco nonprofit news outlet, merges with the Center for Investigative Reporting, as planned. But managers said a combined operation could lead to better journalism and a bigger audience, which could bring more funding.

AP Sues Aggregator Over 'Parasitic' Biz Model
Wired
The Associated Press has filed a lawsuit against the Meltwater Group, a news subscription firm, alleging that repackaging the wire service's news content is a "parasitic business model." Meltwater sells content it acquires by scraping 162,000 online news sources.

People.com to Roll Out iPad-Optimized Website
Adweek
People.com on the iPad is getting a significant facelift. The celebrity weekly has unveiled the first iPad-optimized version of its site, which includes the same content found on People.com's desktop edition but is reformatted to take advantage of the device.

Newsweek Showcases Scrapped Covers Online
Politico
Newsweek has launched a feature on its Tumblr page to showcase the cover designs that get left behind on the cutting room floor. "Every week we produce anywhere from 10-20 different ideas. So we wind up with a proverbial wastebasket full of scrapped concepts."

Sunset Magazine Names Kitty Morgan as Editor
New York Post
Sunset, the Time Inc. West Coast magazine that is the biggest regional magazine in the country, has just landed a new editor-in-chief. Kitty Morgan, who was most recently executive editor of Better Homes & Gardens, will take over from Charla Lawhon.

Forbes PR Chief Monie Begley to Step Down
New York Post
Monie Begley, director of communications through 12-plus tumultuous years at Forbes Media, has told employees she plans to step down. "It has been a fabulous time — interesting, fun, challenging and yes, at times exhausting," she wrote in a memo. "But what an enviable job."

Glamour Sets Up 'Shoppable Wall' of Products
Advertising Age
Glamour magazine has set up a shoppable wall in Manhattan's Meatpacking District that lets consumers scan 2-D barcodes with an app on their phone to buy products for home delivery. The wall is stocked with items from Unilever, Johnson & Johnson and other marketers.

WSJ. and T: The Rivalry Is On for Ad Pages
WWD
WSJ., the Wall Street Journal's glossy magazine, had a double-digit increase in ad pages in 2011 and this year will get another frequency bump to 10 issues. Meanwhile, T, the New York Times magazine, has become something of a source of frustration for its ad sales team.

San Francisco Chronicle to Rent Office Space
Washington Post
The San Francisco Chronicle is renting out space in its historic 1924 building to Intersection for the Arts, a local performance and visual arts nonprofit group. As the staff of the Hearst-owned newspaper has shrunk, management sought a new way to save money.

Buffalo News Mulls Paywall to Offset Declines
Business First
For the first time in at least 25 years, annual operating profits at the Buffalo News fell below $10 million. The Berkshire Hathaway-owned newspaper is now exploring the possibility of charging for online content to offset circulation declines. "It's a question of revenues."

Times of London Releases Data on Digital Subs
Media Week
News International has provided an update on its two U.K. newspaper websites behind paywalls, to report 119,255 digital subscribers for the Times and 113,818 for the Sunday Times. Also, an average of 59,882 copies of the Times were downloaded daily on the iPad.

World's Best-Designed Newspapers Are Named
SND
The Society for News Design has named five recipients of its 33rd annual World's Best-Designed Newspaper contest, including Mexico City's Excelsior and Toronto's National Post. The winners share "a bold, sure-footed approach" to reaching their audiences.

Hearst, Amazon Plan Shoppable Digital Editions
Adweek
Hearst plans to start making many of its Kindle Fire magazine editions shoppable by linking products to Amazon. Hearst will get a cut of the sales. The move raises church-and-state issues, but Hearst insists: "We're not saying to the editor, 'You should be reviewing pots and pans.'"

Conde Nast Veteran Tom Florio Joins Advanstar
Wall Street Journal
Tom Florio, former publisher of Vogue magazine, has joined Advanstar, which publishes more than 50 trade magazines and hosts trade shows. Florio will be CEO of a new fashion group, where he will be responsible for increasing the company's presence among consumers.

Vogue Cover of Slimmed-Down Adele Stirs Protest
Examiner
Fans of Adele, who just swept the Grammy Awards, are up in arms over the weight-loss makeover the singer appears to have been given in the March issue of Vogue. Adele, who insists she is happy with her plus-sized curves, looks "dramatically thinner" in the magazine.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Cover Unveiled
Associated Press
Kate Upton has been revealed as the cover model of the 2012 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. The cover is her second time appearing in the annual SI issue that is the equivalent of the Super Bowl for models. "For me, this is groundbreaking," said Upton, 19.

Vanity Fair Plans Annual 'Campaign Hollywood'
WWD
Vanity Fair's "Campaign Hollywood," the magazine's annual weeklong celebration leading up to the Academy Awards, this year includes a 20th anniversary celebration of the "Vanities" page. Other events include a cocktail reception honoring filmmaker Martin Scorsese.

Atlantic Enlists Boldfaced Names to Spread Buzz
Adweek
Atlantic Media chief David Bradley and president Justin Smith are kicking off a series of dinners with entertainment, media, politics and business bigs to discuss their magazine's cover stories. The first was set for Monday in New York City with a dinner at Eleven Madison Park.

The Week Provides a 'Quick Read' with iPad App
min
Felix Dennis' The Week magazine has chosen to design every aspect of its new iPad app around the principle of speed – the quick read. From the start, The Week on iPad breaks convention by actually downloading each issue within 10 seconds on a wifi connection.

Playboy: Hugh Hefner Son Arrested for Assault
E! Online
Marston Hefner, the 21-year-old son of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, has been arrested for allegedly assaulting Playmate Claire Sinclair. Police were called to the couple's Pasadena, Calif., home after receiving a domestic-violence call. Hefner was charged with battery.

Murdoch's Sun Decries Arrests as 'Witch Hunt'
Bloomberg
News Corp.'s Sun, the best-selling U.K. newspaper, said multiple police and government inquiries into the press are hurting free speech and constitute a "witch hunt," following the arrest of five of its employees. Some reporters "have been held for simply doing their jobs."

MaineToday Newspaper Takeover Deal Collapses
Boston Globe
Aaron Kushner's effort to buy a controlling interest in MaineToday Media, the largest newspaper company in Maine, has collapsed after contentious negotiations with unions and management. MaineToday Media owns the Portland Press Herald and other newspapers.

New York Times Aims to Embrace Social Media
Journalism.co.uk
The New York Times plans to make its social media projects "deeper and more meaningful" with users, according to Liz Heron, social media editor. "We are now using the tweets-on-the-homepage approach," which helps make the newspaper's coverage "feel especially live."

Washington Post: Recast For a Future in Digital
New York Times
Washington Post top editor Marcus Brauchli has overseen sweeping change in the newsroom, where editors now often stress online metrics and freely borrow from the playbooks of Politico and the Huffington Post. Employees are regularly schooled in the lingo of web traffic.

Financial Times Sees Increases in Online, Mobile
TalkingBizNews
The Financial Times now reaches 2.2 million people worldwide on a daily basis, according to the latest Average Daily Global Audience figures. Also, the number of people accessing FT.com daily has surpassed 900,000, a 36% year on year increase.

Philly: Developer May Launch Digital Newspaper
Philadelphia Inquirer
An investor group led by developer Bart Blatstein plans to explore developing a new digital and print publication should it fail to acquire the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News. The management of the newspapers' owners said it was "not in discussions" with Blatstein.

Denver Post Names Moss New President, CEO
Denver Business
Ed Moss, a former publisher of the San Diego Union-Tribune, has been named president and CEO of the Denver Post. He takes over Feb. 20. Moss also was named an executive VP of Digital First Media, the company that manages Post publisher MediaNews.

Time Inc Promotes Kammerer to Group Publisher
Advertising Age
Time Inc. has promoted Charlie Kammerer, publisher of This Old House Ventures, to the new post of group publisher of This Old House and Coastal Living. Kammerer is assuming responsibilities held by Peter Medwid, who left last month for Martha Stewart Living.

Conde Nast Unveils Corporate Website Redesign
WWD
Conde Nast has redesigned its corporate site, and now visitors can personalize the experience, by filtering brand feeds to show only those they want to see. "We want to have the same kind of vibrance that an edit brand has." Each month, three executive profiles will be posted.

Hearst: 90 Incredible Years of Helen Gurley Brown
min
Helen Gurley Brown will reach a milestone on Feb. 18, when 47 out of her 90 years will have been with Hearst and Cosmopolitan magazine. Under current editor Kate White, Cosmo's 2012 rate base has soared to 3 million, with $390 million in ad revenues last year.

Marie Claire Editor Coles Grabs Fashion's Spotlight
New York Times
Joanna Coles, editor of Marie Claire, is said to have an Everywoman image that has a special resonance in an industry that has grown weary of divas. The era of the superstar editor, ushered in by Tina Brown in the '80s, is on the wane. "That period ended" thanks to social media.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Boasts Bodypaint
Sports Illustrated
Three females athletes will appear in Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit issue, slated to arrive on newsstands on Tuesday. The trio will be part of the popular "bodypaint" feature. The cover will be unveiled Monday night on CBS' "Late Show With David Letterman."

Bloomberg Pursuits Luxury Magazine to Debut
New York Times
Bloomberg L.P. isn't aiming for the 99% with its new luxury magazine, Bloomberg Pursuits, which will be distributed twice a year beginning this week to customers who subscribe to the company's financial data terminals and receive Bloomberg Markets magazine.

Australia's Top-Selling Magazines Eyed for Sale
Wall Street Journal
CVC Capital Partners-owned Nine Entertainment is said to be considering selling its magazines business, ACP Magazines, to pay down debt. ACP's mastheads include Australia's top-selling magazines, including Woman's Day, Harper's Bazaar, Cosmopolitan and OK!

Reader's Digest Sells Weekly Reader to Scholastic
New York Post
The pruning down to a few core magazines at the Reader's Digest Association has continued as new CEO Robert Guth unloads the Weekly Reader classroom publications to "Harry Potter" publisher Scholastic. The sale was estimated to be below $5 million.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Due Next Week
USA Today
This year's Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue, whose circulation is expected to hit 60 million, will have its cover unveiled on CBS' "Late Show With David Letterman" on Monday night. The issue will be available Tuesday on newsstands, on SI.com and for tablet and mobile.

Time Magazine Hires Founder of Technologizer
bub.blicio.us
Harry McCracken, founder and editor of the tech website Technologizer, has been named editor-at-large of Time magazine. McCracken, who has been writing weekly columns for Time, offers "a high altitude perspective on the forces that are changing the industry."

Cottages & Gardens to Launch New York Edition
min
Luxury design publisher Cottages & Gardens will roll out a new magazine in March aimed at the affluent neighborhoods of New York. New York Cottages & Gardens will target upper-income areas of the city, Westchester Country, Long Island and Hudson Valley.

Gannett Offers Buyouts to 660 Newspaper Staffers
News & Tech
Gannett has begun offering voluntary buyouts to more than 660 employees in its U.S. community publishing newspaper group, according to a Gannett Blog report. The move comes a day after the Washington Post offered buyouts to members of its newsroom.

Financial Times-Reuters Sale Rumor Cautioned
Politico
Senior staffers at Reuters have provide some context for a rumor put forth in a Guardian report by Michael Wolff that Thomson Reuters is in talks with the Financial Times to buy the salmon-colored daily. "That rumor has been around for years. Wolff hedges quite a bit."

Philly Newspaper Sale 'Excludes' Some Bidders
Politico
Philanthropist Raymond Perelman said he has been "excluded" from the sale of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News days after former Gov. Ed Rendell and others announced a play for the company that owns them. Perelman is "dismayed" to learn he has been excluded.

Boston Globe Online Pay Strategy Yet to Deliver
Boston Business
The Boston Globe's new BostonGlobe.com site has 16,000 subscribers after four months of going live. It started its online experiment with about 5,800 digital subscribers, so the net gain is about 10,000. "I'm guessing that the good people on Morrissey Boulevard aren't delighted."

Washington Post Plans 20 Newsroom Buyouts
New York Times
The Washington Post has announced a new round of buyouts, the latest in a series of staff reductions that have decreased its newsroom size by some 200 people over the last three years. "We will continue making tactical hires so that even as we get smaller, we get stronger."

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TELEVISION & RADIO
 
Time Warner Cable, MSG Meet Amid 'Linsanity'
New York Post
The popularity of New York Knicks star Jeremy Lin may help bring peace in the ongoing MSG-Time Warner Cable war. The two sides met this week for the first time since December, when Time Warner's contract expired and MSG shut down the signal.

ABC Oscar Ad Spots Said to Sell for $1.7 Million
Broadcasting & Cable
ABC, which has sold out of advertising time for its broadcast of the Academy Awards on Feb. 26, sold 30-second spots for $1.7 million this year, according to an estimate by Kantar Media. In 2011, 30-second Oscar ads cost an average of $1.55 million.

NBCUniversal CEO Sees 'Smash' as 'Problematic'
Adweek
As Comcast wrapped its quarterly earnings call, NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke offered an aside to an unknown interlocutor, saying that while "The Voice" was likely to sustain its momentum, "'Smash' is more problematic." NBC has a great deal riding on the new series.

AMC Networks Ideal For a Sale, Analysts Say
Reuters
Now could be the perfect time for the sale of AMC Networks, one of the few remaining pure-play U.S. cable TV networks, according to analysts. AMC, home of the critical darling "Mad Men," is near a ratings peak. "Usually you want to sell when everything is working."

Starz Premium Movie Channel Names President
Denver Business
Glenn Curtis has been promoted to the new position of president and CFO of Starz, the premium movie and programming provider. Curtis previously was executive VP and CFO. In his new role, he will "assume expanded management and operational roles."

DirecTV Adds Fewer Subscribers Than Expected
Reuters
DirecTV added fewer subscribers than expected in the fourth quarter in the United States. But the satellite TV provider added more than expected in Latin America, as it pushed further into Brazil and Mexico, the company's hottest growth markets.

ESPN to Give 'Jaws' Multiple Media Platforms
Business First
Ron Jaworski is exiting the ESPN "Monday Night Football" broadcast booth for a new role with the all-sports network. The former National Football League player has agreed to a five-year contract that will place him on multiple media platforms on ESPN.

CNN Officially Severs All Ties with Larry King
Los Angeles Times
CNN and Larry King are going their separate ways. Though King gave up his daily prime-time talk show on CNN in December 2010, he still had a deal for several specials. The last of those — "A Larry King Special: Dinner with the Kings" — aired in December.

MTV, NPR Improve Their Apps for Finding Music
New York Times
NPR and MTV separately introduced new versions of apps to help fans find new music online. NPR released an iPad app featuring video and audio of from its broadcasts; MTV's Music Meter scrapes various online sources to find the most-talked-about new bands.

CBS in Talks to Make Original Shows for Netflix
Bloomberg
CBS is in talks to produce an original program for Netflix, said CEO Les Moonves. "We are talking to Netflix about a potential deal to produce a show for them. Until they are doing 22 hours a week of premium content, we do not look at them as a competitor."

Google 'Antenna Farm' Plans Hint at TV Service
Kansas City Star
Google has applied to U.S. regulators for permission to set up a satellite receiving station, fueling speculation that the search giant might bundle Internet and TV services. Google is being characteristically mum on the subject: "We're still exploring product offerings."

Time Warner Cable Now Streams to Desktops
CNET News
Time Warner Cable, which last year unveiled its first iPad app, has just launched a beta version of the software for computer streaming. The new app lets cable subscribers stream live TV to their Mac or Windows PC. Features include a seven-day program guide.

IAC-Backed Service to Stream Local TV Stations
New York Times
Barry Diller's IAC has introduced Aereo, an Internet TV service that "pries broadcast television out of that closed system." IAC led a $20.5 million round of financing for Aereo, and Diller is joining the start-up's board. The service will become available in New York City in mid-March.

ABC, Facebook Named Strongest Media Brands
BtoB
ABC is the highest-rated U.S. media company for brand strength, sales knowledge, customer service and advertiser satisfaction, according to an assessment by media research firm Advertiser Perceptions. Facebook is the strongest brand among purely digital companies.

CBS Credits the Web for Grammy Ratings Spike
AllThingsD
Sunday night's Grammys attracted some 40 million viewers -- the award show's second-largest audience ever. CBS argues that it worked hard to generate online interest. The show generated 13 million "social media comments," even more than the previous week's Super Bowl.

NBCUniversal Teams with Google, ComScore
Advertising Age
NBCUniversal has enlisted Google and comScore to analyze consumption of its London Olympics coverage this summer across video shown via TV, mobile devices, PCs and tablets. Among the behaviors likely to be measured: how fans use devices simultaneously.

Barry Diller Invests in 'Cord-Cutting' Business
AllThingsD
Barry Diller has become a minority investor in Aereo, a service allowing users to stream broadcast TV stations to their Internet-connected devices. Aereo, formerly known as BamBoom, will hold a press event Tuesday at Diller's IAC headquarters in Manhattan.

Comcast Targeted by Protesters Over Al-Jazeera
Philadelphia Inquirer
About 40 demonstrators descended on the Philadelphia headquarters of Comcast on Monday to demand that it add Al-Jazeera English to its lineup of cable offerings. The protesters brought 23,092 signatures advocating for the inclusion of Qatar-based channel spin-off.

MSNBC's Joe Scarborough Gets Politico Blog
Huffington Post
Joe Scarborough, co-host of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," has begun writing a blog for Politico. "This is the lucky break I've been waiting for all my life." He promises to write about "what's really happening behind the scenes in Congress, the White House and in the media world."

Oprah Apologizes for Tweet to Nielsen Viewers
New York Times
Oprah Winfrey has apologized for publishing a message to Twitter that encouraged people counted in Nielsen ratings to watch her cable channel, potentially influencing the ratings. The tweet was seen at Nielsen as a potentially serious violation of its policy.

CBS Grammy Ad Rates Reach $800,000 Per Spot
New York Post
Advertisers shelled out big bucks for spots during Sunday night's Grammy Awards telecast. After the average ad cost $621,000 last year, this year's rates were closer to $800,000 per 30-second spot, two media-buying execs familiar with this year's rates told Billboard.

Time Warner Cable, MSG Pressured by Jeremy Lin
Forbes
After leading to the New York Knicks to their fifth straight win, Jeremy Lin may accomplish something that others failed to: end the long battle between MSG and Time Warner Cable. "If Time Warner doesn't televise Knick games they could lose subscribers to Direct TV."

Comcast to Help TV Viewers Lower Diabetes Risk
Philadelphia Inquirer
Comcast will offer customers at risk of developing diabetes a chance to participate in a study that uses a reality show on its video on demand service, as well as Internet and telephone monitoring, plus wifi-enabled scales that transmit viewers' weights to study leaders.

MSNBC Taps University Professor for Show Host
New York Times
MSNBC will introduce a progressive talk show called "Melissa Harris-Perry" on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Harris-Perry, who teaches at Tulane University, will be the only tenured professor in the United States who serves as a host of a cable news show.

ESPN to Mine TV Advertisers for Mobile Push
Digiday
While most mobile-focused publishers have had a hard time attracting serious ad budgets from brands, ESPN has a luxury that most others don't: a large base of established TV advertisers. The company is selling the power of mirroring brand messaging across channels.

ABC Host Jimmy Kimmel Walks Web Tightrope
Wall Street Journal
Jimmy Kimmel's YouTube channel, which includes clips from his ABC late-night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live," is said to have produced annual revenue of up to $2 million. Still, "the key financial question is whether online access cannibalizes the TV viewing audience."

CBS Readies Three-Day Online Grammy Build-Up
Beet.TV
CBS is kicking off a robust slate of programming online for three days ahead of the Grammy Awards on Sunday night. CBS has signed up Target and GM as the lead sponsors for extended online coverage prior to the leading music industry awards ceremony.

CNN Host Morgan Resurfaces in Hacking Scandal
Telegraph
Heather Mills, former wife of Paul McCartney, never authorized former News of the World editor Piers Morgan to listen to her voice mails, she told the Leveson inquiry into British press standards. Morgan previously said he listened to a voice-mail message left to Mills.

Fox Business Makes Over Its Prime-Time Lineup
New York Times
The struggling Fox Business Network canceled its entire prime-time programming lineup in one stroke on Thursday. In place of political talk shows, Fox Business will replay its programming shown from 5 to 8 p.m., giving more exposure to some of its best-known anchors.

CNBC Hires VH1 Exec to Develop Reality Shows
New York Times
CNBC might be turning Wall Street bankers into reality show stars. The business news network has hired Jim Ackerman, who spent the last nine years at VH1 producing reality shows like "Celebrity Fit Club," to jump-start its own development of reality shows.

NBC's Lauer Seeks $30 Million to Stay at 'Today'
TMZ
Matt Lauer is said to have softened his position about leaving "Today" at the end of his contract in December -- that is, if NBC antes up a record amount of money. The morning show co-host will re-sign "if NBC ponies up way more than the $17 million he's currently making."

Oprah Moves Oscar Special Franchise to OWN
Deadline
Oprah Winfrey, whose post-Academy Award specials were among the highest-rated episodes of her syndicated daytime talk show, is launching what likely will be an Oscar primetime special franchise on OWN. "Oprah's Oscar Special" will premiere Feb. 15.

Nielsen: Youths Watch Less Often on TV Sets
New York Times
Americans ages 12 to 34 are spending less time in front of TV sets, even as those 35 and older are spending more, according to new research from Nielsen. Young people are still watching the same shows, but they are streaming them on computers and phones.

NBCU Airs 'Smash' Encore Across Cable Nets
TheWrap
NBCUniversal cable networks will air a late-night encore of NBC's new musical drama "Smash" Thursday night, following up on its strong debut Monday. It's a savvy case of NBCU using its network of successful cable networks to help support fourth-place NBC.

ESPN Drops Among Web Sports Destinations
Sports Business Daily
Yahoo Sports again earned the top spot on comScore's monthly rankings of U.S. online sports destinations. But the biggest story was the fall of ESPN.com to third place, behind FoxSports.com. The shift is ESPN's first month outside the top two positions in four years.

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INTERNET & DIGITAL MEDIA
 
Google 'Antenna Farm' Plans Hint at TV Service
Kansas City Star
Google has applied to U.S. regulators for permission to set up a satellite receiving station, fueling speculation that the search giant might bundle Internet and TV services. Google is being characteristically mum on the subject: "We're still exploring product offerings."

HuffPost Video Network Hires Al Jazeera Host
Advertising Age
The Huffington Post's yet-to-launch online streaming network has hired its first on-air personality: Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, most recently the co-host of an Al Jazeera English TV show called "The Stream," has worked as a news producer for the New York Times.

Google Eyes Studios as YouTube Comes of Age
Dow Jones
Aiming to build up original content for YouTube, Google will move a studio facility from Next New Networks, which the search giant acquired last year, into its New York offices. Other studios are possible in London and Tokyo. "They have to come up with content to fill channels."

Facebook Plans Release of Timeline for Brands
Advertising Age
Facebook is said to be bringing its Timeline profile pages to brands this month in the United States. The new pages will start in beta with a handful of partners and then be released to more marketers in stages. A launch announcement is expected Feb. 29.

Survey: Twitter Users 'Sexier' Than Facebook's
WebProNews
Some 40% of daily Twitter users describe themselves as "sexy," whereas only 28% of daily Facebook users said the same, according to a new survey by digital agency Euro RSCG. In addition, people who tweet "have sex more often" than Facebook users.

Book Publishers Force Pirate E-Book Sites Offline
Next Web
Two websites that made e-books available illegally as free downloads have been forced offline after being served cease-and-desist orders from a global alliance of publishers. The alliance against Library.nu and Ifile.it included HarperCollins, McGraw-Hill and Pearson.

AOL Patch News Model Is 'Not Going to Work'
Fortune
AOL has placed high hopes — and lots of cash — in Patch, its hyperlocal news venture. But with just a few sites actually turning a profit, the numbers may never add up. AOL strongly disagrees: "We're not losing money — we're investing. We're not struggling."

Facebook, Twitter Help Turn 'The Vow' Into a Hit
Los Angeles Times
After a slow courtship, movie studios are now embracing social media like Facebook and Twitter. To lure fans, Channing Tatum appeared in a "Sweet Nothings" video that marketers for his new film, "The Vow," posted on Facebook in advance of its opening last weekend.

Yahoo Activist Shareholder Taps MTV, NBC Alums
CNET News
Yahoo activist investor Dan Loeb aims to launch a proxy fight, bringing in two heavy-hitting media execs. Loeb is nominating four candidates for board seats, including former MTV Networks chief Michael Wolf and former NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker.

Apple CEO Explains Why Tablets Will Take Over
Barron's
Apple CEO Tim Cook, speaking at the Goldman Sachs tech conference, discussed what prompted the explosive growth in the iPad. It "stood on the shoulders of everything that came before it. People were trained on the iPhone, so they were already familiar with multi-touch."

Microsoft to Introduce Social Display Ad Unit
Adweek
Microsoft's advertising division has unveiled its own social display ad product, one seemingly heavily inspired by Facebook, which will allow brands to incorporate user-generated content like product reviews, blog posts and videos within a banner ad.

Netflix Challenges HBO with Second New Series
Bloomberg
Netflix, ratcheting up competition with HBO, is said to be producing 13 episodes of a new comedy series, "Orange Is the New Black." Netflix will have first rights to the series from "Weeds" creator Jenji Kohan, which is based on the memoir of a communications exec.

MySpace, Fox Digital Team for Internet Series
Hollywood Reporter
MySpace and Fox Digital Entertainment are launching an eight-episode series called "Wolfpack of Reseda," described as "darkly hilarious." The show will be sponsored by Kia Motors America, which will have one of its vehicles featured prominently in the series.

Amazon: Fewer Prime Members Than Estimated
Bloomberg
Amazon's Prime service, a linchpin of its effort to fuel long-term profit, is said to have attracted fewer than half as many members as analysts estimate. As of October, 3 million to 5 million people subscribed to Prime, which provides two-day shipping for $79 a year.

Twitter Stirs Staff Dissent with Stock Sale Rule
CNNMoney
While Facebook prepares to go public, social media rival Twitter intends to stay private. The company has slapped its shareholders with an unusual restriction: No one who holds stock can sell more than 20% of their shares. The rule has caused dissent in Twitter's ranks.

Apple Shares Surpass $500 on Mobile Success
CNET News
Apple's stock surpassed $500 a share on Monday, reaching an all-time high and prompting investors to wonder just how far the company's shares can go. The company's meteoric rise is due mainly to the success of its mobile products, including the iPod, iPhone and iPad.

Google to Focus Acquisitions on Video, Mobile
Financial Times
Google has narrowed the focus of its acquisitions to a smaller number of strategic areas, such as video and mobile, according to David Lawee, the company's head of corporate development. Google does not expect to make acquisitions in social networking, he added.

YouTube Eyes 'Video Everywhere' for Partners
AllThingsD
YouTube has made a small but important change in the way it deals with content owners. Google's video-sharing website is now insisting on the ability to play all videos from content "partners" on all platforms, including mobile phones and connected TVs.

Twitter: No. 1 Most Innovative Media Company
Fast Company
Twitter is the No. 1 most innovative company in media, according to Fast Company magazine. "It's impossible to talk about media without Twitter." Other media companies in the magazine's top 10 list include the New York Times, Tumblr, the Awl Network, and BuzzFeed.

Apple Tests Tablet with Smaller Eight Inch Screen
Wall Street Journal
Apple is said to be working with component suppliers in Asia to test a new tablet computer with a smaller screen size of around 8 inches. Apple's latest tablet, the iPad 2, comes with a 9.7-inch screen. The move comes as Apple prepares to announce a new iPad in March.

LivingSocial Opening a Facility to Host Events
AllThingsD
LivingSocial, the second-largest deals company after Groupon, has secured a building in Washington, D.C., to host activities and classes, such as cooking, painting, photography and yoga. "We believe this is the next step in the evolution of local commerce."

Netflix, Hulu Originals Look Like Traditional TV
Associated Press
Within just over a week, Netflix and Hulu are both debuting their first stabs at original scripted programming. The shows amount to a milestone in Internet television. Hulu's "Battleground" and Netflix's "Lilyhammer" both look and feel like shows on broadcast TV.

Amazon to Staff Up for Original Programming
AllThingsD
New job listings on Amazon's careers site show the company looking to recruit execs for its movie and series production arm. Specifically, it is seeking execs to quarterback its children's and comedy programming efforts "for online and traditional distribution."

Google Lab to Test '@Home' Streaming Product
San Jose Mercury News
Google is building testing labs at its headquarters that hint at the Internet giant's interest in crafting consumer devices. One lab will test a new consumer product under the brand name "@home" that will wirelessly stream music or data to other household devices.

Apple Launches Legal Attack on Samsung Phones
Reuters
Apple has raised the stake in an intensifying battle with Samsung by targeting the latest model using Google's Android software. The company has asked a federal court in California to block Samsung from selling its new Galaxy Nexus phones, alleging four patent violations.

Facebook, LinkedIn Ready Ad Units for Mobiles
BtoB
Facebook will introduce advertising units on mobile devices beginning in March. Meanwhile, LinkedIn is preparing to do the same, but with no timeline announced. Currently 15% of all users of LinkedIn access the professional networking service via mobile devices.

MySpace to Announce One Million New Users
New York Times
Since December, when it introduced a new music player, MySpace has signed up one million new users. Plus, monthly traffic on MySpace rose in January, the first increase in almost a year. At 25.1 million, it was an improvement of 4% from the month before.

LivingSocial Scales Back on Markets, Offerings
Washington Business
LivingSocial has begun to cull some underperforming markets and product offerings, including partially scaling back its "Adventures" brand, in a move that reflects increasing pressure to achieve profitability after the company's runaway growth of 2011.

Groupon to Add 'Thumbs Up' in Website Revamp
Bloomberg
Groupon is preparing a revamped version of its website, starting with "thumbs up" and "thumbs down" buttons to help the daily coupon service do a better job tailoring offers to its 33 million active users. The company plans to launch the new design in the coming weeks.

Google to Develop Consumer Electronic Devices
Wall Street Journal
Google is said to be developing a home-entertainment system that streams music wirelessly throughout the home and would be marketed under the company's own brand. The Internet giant for the first would time would design and market consumer electronics under its name.

Apple Value Bests Google, Microsoft Combined
Apple Insider
Apple's stock soared to new heights on Thursday, pushing the company's market capitalization to $456 billion, a number that is greater than the values of rivals Google and Microsoft combined. The milestone came soon after Apple reported its best quarter ever.

Forrester: Be Wary of Google, Amazon, Apple
Direct Marketing News
Google, Amazon, Apple and Facebook will continue to dominate online business, but retailers and marketers should tread carefully in partnering with them, according to a Forrester report. "Google is moving more into local marketing; Apple apps work like Trojan horses."

Glam Media Launches Social Network for Foodies
Reuters
There are magazines, TV shows and books about food. So why not a social network? That's the thinking behind online lifestyle publisher Glam Media's newest offering. The company has rolled out Foodie.com, a social network devoted entirely to the gastronomic crowd.

Vevo Shows Pirated ESPN Stream at Sundance
TechCrunch
Vevo, the online music video service backed by major record labels, showed a pirated stream of an ESPN football game at its Sundance PowerStation venue last month. The event "underscores everything wrong with the media industry's approach to piracy."

Google May Open Stand-Alone Retail Store
Bloomberg
Google may open its first stand-alone retail store at its European headquarters in Dublin, according to a filing by the Internet giant. The Google Store would be open to the public and sell unspecified "Google merchandise," the company said in a planning application.

Apple Expected to Unveil New iPad in March
AllThingsD
Apple is said to have chosen the first week in March to debut the successor to the iPad 2, and will do so at one of its trademark special events. The event is expected to be held at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the company's preferred venue.

AOL Names Content Chief for Troubled Patch
Reuters
AOL, which has been investing in content to make up for declining revenue from dial-up Internet access, has hired a chief content officer for its struggling Patch hyperlocal news network. Rachel Fishman Feddersen will join Patch from Sweden's Bonnier Group.

Groupon Reports Loss Amid Doubts Over Model
Chicago Tribune
Groupon has reported quarterly earnings as a publicly traded company for the first time, posting a net loss of $42.7 million. Since disclosing financial data in the run-up to its IPO, the company has battled a barrage of skepticism over the sustainability of its business model.

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ADVERTISING & MARKETING
 
Ogilvy & Mather Starts Practice on Social Media
New York Times
Ogilvy & Mather, one of the biggest advertising agencies, has opened a social media unit, called Social@Ogilvy, aiming to adapt to the rapidly changing needs of marketer clients. The unit will be headed by Ogilvy veteran John Bell. "Social has become a huge priority."

Study: Traditional News Lags in Online Advertising
Los Angeles Times
Traditional media outlets "have had little success" getting advertisers to move from their legacy businesses to their online news sites, according to a new study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism. Also, few of the ads they create for the web are targeted to customers.

Report: Online Ads Overhauling TV, Newspapers
Australian
Online advertising will outstrip television and newspapers as the biggest advertising sector within 18 months, the head of Australia's Interactive Advertising Bureau has predicted. Online advertising could pass the $3 billion mark by the end of the financial year.

Publicis: U.S. Digital Revenues to Overtake Media
Financial Times
Digital revenues from Publicis Groupe's U.S. business are set to overtake those from traditional advertising this year, a first for a leading marketing services group in the world's largest media market. "We will grow to a certain degree on par with the digital market."

P&G to Cut Ad Costs by Shifting to Digital
MM&M
Procter & Gamble plans to lower its promotion costs by leaning more on digital media, said CEO Bob McDonald. The consumer goods giant has historically spent 9%-11% on advertising. However, "Facebook, Google and others can be much more efficient."

Forrester: Mobile Commerce to Skyrocket in 2012
WWD
If 2011 was seen as the year e-tail exploded, it was a mere precursor to what is expected in 2012. Mobile commerce spending on smartphones is expected to reach $10 billion this year, according to Forrester Research, and this projection doesn't even include tablet shopping.

MagnaGlobal Revises U.S. Ad Forecast Upwards
BtoB
U.S. ad revenue will grow by 3.7% this year over last year, according to a revised forecast by MagnaGlobal. U.S. political advertising and the Summer Olympics will help increase ad revenue this year. Internet advertising will be the fastest-growing media category.

Twitter Ad Pulled by McDonald's After Backfire
Bloomberg
McDonald's, the world's biggest restaurant chain, said an advertisement on Twitter backfired after people began using the social-media website to criticize the company. A Twitter label, meant to promote a campaign about the company's suppliers, "did not go as planned."

Report: Online Ads to Beat Print for First Time
ClickZ
Online advertising will edge out print in total spending this year, according to eMarketer. While it said that online dollars have already outstripped newspapers and magazines separately, the announcement marks the first time digital is projected to surpass the two combined.

Study: 31% of Online Display Ads Go Unseen
ClickZ
Thirty-one percent of ad impressions are never seen by consumers, according to research by comScore. "The display advertising market today is characterized by an overabundance of inventory, often residing on parts of a web page that are never viewed."

Conde Nast Ads to Offer Mobile E-Commerce
ClickZ News
Glamour magazine plans to run print ads in March allowing readers to purchase items with a scan of their smart phone. The Conde Nast property isn't revealing advertisers for the issue yet, but suggests there is no shortage of interest from brands and retailers.

Twitter: Journos Are 'Obsessed,' Not Advertisers
Financial Times
Twitter is more of a journalistic than a marketing phenomenon, according to WPP digital exec Mark Read. "Newspaper editors and people in the media are obsessed" with the microblogging service. Some advertisers, however, give Twitter and its products mixed reviews.

ComScore: Online Holiday Spending Up 15%
Reuters
U.S. online sales for the 2011 holiday season rose 15% to hit an all-time high, according to comScore. Retail e-commerce sales reached $37.2 billion, compared to $32.4 billion a year ago, with growth outpacing that of traditional brick-and-mortar stores.

Facebook Readies First Foray Into Mobile Ads
Bloomberg
Facebook is said to be planning its first push into mobile advertising by the end of March, giving the company a fresh source of revenue ahead of a possible IPO. An idea being considered is putting Facebook's sponsored stories ads within the mobile news feed.

Google Owns Nearly Half of Online Ad Market
TheWrap
When it comes to online advertising, there's Google and then there's not much else. That's the takeaway from a new survey from ZenithOptimedia. The search giant gobbled up 44.1% of the global Internet advertising market share in 2010, up from 41.9% the previous year.

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MEDIA COMPANIES
 
Comcast Stems Subscriber Losses in Cable TV
Philadelphia Inquirer
Comcast said it lost only 17,000 cable-TV subscribers in the fourth quarter. That's compared against a loss of 135,000 subscribers in the same period one year ago. CEO Brian Roberts said the cable division had a "terrific quarter of improving customer metrics."

CBS Offers Rosy Ad Forecast from 'Nasty' Politics
Los Angeles Times
CBS has offered a rosy outlook for its fiscal year, predicting that a bounty of political advertising dollars would flow to its local TV and radio stations. "We're looking forward to a lot of nastiness on both sides" of the presidential race, said CEO Les Moonves.

News Corp Hires Ad-Industry Veteran as Exec VP
Wall Street Journal
News Corp. has hired Hamish McLennan, previously chairman and CEO of advertising firm Y&R, as executive VP in the office of the chairman. In the newly created role, McLennan will work to hatch advertising deals that bundle News Corp.'s portfolio of media assets.

Big Media Results 'Less Inspiring,' Analyst Says
Deadline
Nomura Securities analyst Michael Nathanson has some qualms about the media industry, based recent quarterly reports by the major conglomerates. The companies beat forecasts because they "did a remarkable (and unsustainable) job in reining in expenses."

Warren Buffett Buys Into Liberty Media, DirecTV
TheWrap
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway increased its exposure to media companies significantly in the fourth quarter, adding a new position in Liberty Media and substantially raising its stake in DirecTV. Berkshire is now one of DirecTV's 10 largest shareholders.

News Corp Report Delayed Over James Murdoch
Bloomberg
U.K. lawmakers probing whether News Corp. covered up phone hacking are at least two months behind schedule with their report, as they debate how critical they can be of top exec James Murdoch. "There is no question of Murdoch escaping criticism completely."

DreamWorks Animation in Landmark Deal in China
Financial Times
Xi Jinping, vice president of China, is scheduled to unveil a joint venture between DreamWorks Animation and two Chinese media groups. The companies will construct a studio in Shanghai to develop film, TV and stage productions for the fast-growing Chinese media market.

Sony Under Fire for Whitney Houston Price Hike
Guardian
Sony Music has come under fire after it increased the price of Whitney Houston's greatest hits album on Apple's iTunes Store by more than 60% just hours after the singer was found dead. Music fans described the move as cynical. Apple and Sony Music declined to comment.

Time Warner, Disney Feud Over 'Wizard of Oz'
Hollywood Reporter
Time Warner film studio Warner Bros., which owns the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz," has quietly filed a trademark registration on "The Great and Powerful Oz." The move comes as Disney is making plans to produce "Oz, the Great and Powerful," starring James Franco.

News Corp Consolidates Global Gov't Affairs
Associated Press
News Corp. has consolidated its global government affairs activities and relocated them to the United States, headed by Michael Regan. The move "will ensure that we have a clear, coordinated focus on legislative and regulatory issues," said top exec James Murdoch.

Fox Taps Marketing Exec with Digital Focus
Deadline
Mary Daily has been named head of worldwide marketing for Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Daily will "spearhead the integration of Fox's physical and digital businesses into the future." Daily is a former executive of MTV Networks and Universal Pictures.

News Corp: Arrests Revive Newspaper Spinoff Talk
Wall Street Journal
The weekend arrest of five top journalists at the British tabloid the Sun on suspicion of bribing public officials may revive a Wall Street debate on whether owner News Corp. should spin off its newspaper business. Newspapers "haven't been big contributors to earnings."

NBC Universal Looks for Big Payoff on Olympics
New York Times
With the Summer Games in London five months away, NBC is hoping to avoid a big loss on its $1.18 billion rights fee. So far, sales appear to be off to a strong start. The company said national ad sales are just above $900 million. "We're in extraordinarily good shape."

Big Media Buy Back Shares with Cable TV Cash
Reuters
Big U.S. media companies bought back record amounts of their own shares in the last year, with cash generated by cable TV networks that drew strong viewership and ad dollars. "The focus is on returning cash to shareholders." Acquisitions aren't "on the radar."

News Corp: Lachlan to Head Aussie TV Network
Dow Jones
Lachlan Murdoch, eldest son of News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch, has been named chairman of Ten Network Holdings, the Australian TV company. Ten shareholders are expected to be happy with the appointment. "You'd want Lachlan Murdoch on your side."

NBCUniversal: Pink Slips Loom Amid Cost Cuts
New York Post
NBC Entertainment is set to undergo a revamp that will result in scores of pink slips across marketing, promotion and publicity. Also, NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke is said to have met with NBC News and CNBC execs seeking some $10 million in cost savings.

Sony Incoming CEO to Make 'Painful' Decisions
Bloomberg
Sony incoming CEO Kazuo Hirai said he will make "a hard, painful decision" to cut costs in the TV business and supply chain to turn around a company facing a fourth straight annual loss. "We have to make some hard decisions on where there are redundancies."

Hearst Raises Holdings in Fitch Ratings to 50%
MarketWatch
Hearst will raise its holdings in Fitch Ratings to 50% after agreeing to buy an additional 10% stake in the company for $177 million. Hearst said the new investment shows the company's confidence in "Fitch's team and the outlook for the development of its activities."

Scripps Eyes Digital Investments, TV Everywhere
Knoxville News Sentinel
Scripps Networks Interactive posted an increase in quarterly income as a result of ad growth and increasing affiliate fee revenues. The company said its priorities include continued international and digital investments, including possible participation in TV Everywhere.

Murdoch Dinner Pivotal in Hacking Scandal
Bloomberg Businessweek
Rupert Murdoch held a dinner at his London townhouse last May, where the News Corp. chief, surrounded by nine of his confidantes, decided how the company would manage its phone-hacking scandal. His decision may end up preventing his son James from inheriting control.

News Corp's Hacking Bill Nearing $200 Million
Telegraph
Phone hacking at News International has cost Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. nearly $200 million to date, the company said, as it warned it could not predict the final bill. The bill for hacking investigations was "substantially higher" than News Corp. originally expected.

Time Warner Urges Focus On Digital Growth
Deadline
Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes, in a conference call with analysts, hammered on his theme that "our best years are ahead of us" — especially due to "TV Everywhere" and business models that promote digital distribution. "We're at the vanguard of the industry."

Viacom in Streaming Video Deal with Amazon
AFP
Amazon announced a licensing agreement with Viacom, building up its arsenal of TV shows as it takes on Netflix. The deal will give Amazon Prime members access to shows from MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, TV Land, Spike, VH1, BET, CMT and Logo.

Time Warner Profit Tops Estimates on TV Ads
Bloomberg
Time Warner, owner of the HBO cable-TV channel, reported fourth-quarter profit that topped analysts' estimates as advertising improved and instituted a new share buyback of $4 billion. Time Warner derives more than 70% of annual operating income from television.

Disney Going to 28-Day DVD Rental Window
MarketWatch
Disney's movie studios will join other studios in demanding that DVD rental firms such as Redbox wait at least 28 days after a title's release before renting it to consumers. DVD sales have deteriorated enough to justify the window, said Disney CEO Bob Iger.

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