January 11, 2008

CBS

Moonves: CBS Sees Growth in All Divisions

CBS will see growth in 2008 in "every single division," says chief Les Moonves. "We haven't seen any evidence" of an economic downturn, he adds. Also, while the Hollywood writers strike "is bothering me a great deal," Moonves says, it likely will be over "in the next few months."

http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSN1021842020080111

FOX

MySpace Goes Access Hollywood

Social networking site MySpace on Thursday debuted a celebrity news and communications portal called MySpace Celebrity where fans can go to find the latest photos, musings, music, and news from or about their favorite celebrities.

http://www.redherring.com/Home/23439

News Corp Set to Sell Out Super Bowl Ads

News Corp.'s Fox Broadcasting is said to have sold all but one of the 63 30-second commercials that it plans to run during the Super Bowl on Feb. 3. The Super Bowl is described as the "last bastion of mass marketing, with incredible reach."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/11/business/media/11adco.html

MTV

MTV partners to create targeted online syndication

Syndicating written, audio and video content is becoming big business on the Internet. Now the MTV Networks are teaming up with several content creators to make syndication simpler - a good thing for content creators, distributors and advertisers.

http://www.bizreport.com/2008/01/mtv_partners_to_create_targeted_online_syndication.html

AFRICA

MSM in Kenya urgently require targeted HIV prevention

Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kenya urgently need targeted, HIV risk-reduction prevention information, according to the first study describing HIV prevalence and risk factors in a large group of East African MSM. The study is published in the November 2007 edition of AIDS.

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/A4ED06C5-E06D-4C1B-82D6-9E2D4794BB9F.asp

ASIA

Filmmaker exposes gay life in China

Documentary maker Ruby Yang is laying bare some of China's thorniest issues -- HIV/AIDS, tobacco and the ravages of smoking, homosexuality and the environment.

http://www.reuters.com/article/filmNews/idUSN0963373120080110

CARIBBEAN

Jamaica announces February as first ever 'Reggae Month'

Prime Minister Bruce Golding announced yesterday that Jamaicans, will for the first time this year observe the month of February as 'Reggae Month' to highlight the impact of the musical genre on the country's social, cultural and economic development.

http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/entertainment/entertainment.php?news_id=5399&start=0&category_id=24

Reginal media called upon to do more to highlight children's issues in the Caribbean

The United Nations Information Centre for the Caribbean area, the Association of Caribbean Media Workers, the UN's Children's Fund UNICEF and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in a joint statement have agreed that more should be done to highlight the plight and condition of children considered to be at risk.

http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-5412--17-17--.html

USVI Miss America contestant featured on new reality series

The Miss Virgin Islands Scholarship Organization, Inc. has invited the public to tune in to TLC (The Learning Channel) to watch the current 2007 Miss Virgin Islands, Janeisha John, in Miss America: Reality Check - a four-part televised, reality special, which will follow 52 beauty queens as they prepare to compete in the 2008 Miss America Pageant.

http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/entertainment/entertainment.php?news_id=5312&start=0&category_id=24

MOBILE MEDIA

Study: Mobile Subscribers Taking Note Of Ads
One in three U.S. mobile subscribers, or 78 million people, saw or listened to an ad on their cell phone during the last three months, according to a study by mobile entertainment company Limbo in partnership with Britain-based market research firm GfK NOP Research.

http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=74127&Nid=38169&p=917272

OTHER MEDIA NEWS

American Airlines Introduces Gay Ads

American Airlines has committed to its first major multimedia ad campaign with new print ads in The Advocate and online which look like vintage, 50s-era illustrated posters, but with the twist of two carefree men stepping off the plane together.

http://www.bgay.com/news/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=130&Itemid=23

Associated Press Introduces 'Ask AP'

The Associated Press is launching "Ask AP," a Q&A column where the wire service's editors answer reader questions about the news -- anything from "What's a subprime mortgage?" to "How does a reporter prepare to be embedded with the military in Iraq?"

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iYG8SUnUOR9NfNAI-ZFekXsmN5GwD8U2NBVG0

Clear Channel Buyout Gets FCC Go-Ahead

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is said to have signed off on the $19.5 billion buyout of Clear Channel Communications by Bain Capital and Thomas H. Lee Partners. The 5-0 vote paves the way for formal agency approval within the next several weeks.

http://www.smartmoney.com/bn/ON/index.cfm?story=ON-20080110-001128-1857

Facebook Founder in '60 Minutes' Interview

The advertising program many accused of invading the privacy of Facebook users will eventually be a good tool, says the site's founder/CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, during an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes," airing Sunday. The Beacon ad model will be "a really good thing."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/10/60minutes/main3697442.shtml

Multicultural Players Make Social Networks, Mobile Their Priorities

The Association of National Advertisers recently surveyed its members and found 38% of multicultural marketers are using mobile marketing, compared with just 28% of general-market advertisers.

http://adage.com/hispanic/article?article_id=122848

One Quarter of Teens Are Super Communicators

The Pew Internet & American Life Project finds that 93% of teens use the internet, and more of them than ever are treating it as a venue for social interaction -- a place where they can share creations, tell stories, and interact with others.

http://pewresearch.org/pubs/670/teen-content-creators

White House Drug Office Has Super Bowl Plans

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Get ready for a scolding about drug use when you're most likely to be in a mood for humor, surprise and a couple of stiff drinks. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, which has a history of running grim, discomforting commercials during the joyous Super Bowl, is planning a return to the big game, according to people familiar with the situation.

http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=123028