September 18, 2008

CBS

CBS' Moonves: Political Ads Will Save 4Q

Major TV network executives say advertising at their respective local TV stations remains a tough business--but one executive said a silver lining comes with political advertising. CBS Corp. President/Chief Executive Officer Les Moonves expects $150 million in political ad revenues in the fourth quarter will be funneled into its local stations and affiliates in the next several weeks.

CBS Promotes 7 Shows On EcoHangers, Rooftops Near LAX

Pressing onward into its fall marketing season, CBS will feature a promotion on dry cleaners' "green" hangers for some of its shows. Starting this month, CBS will promote seven shows with specific clever messages displayed on the hangers.

FOX

Murdoch: Good Time To Get 'Bigger Share' Of Cable

News Corp. chief Rupert Murdoch indicated Wednesday that he's from the invest-and-wait school--rather than pull-back-and-hope--when it comes to riding out an economic downturn. Citing cable channels as a principal growth engine, Murdoch said they now offer a "great chance ... to get a bigger share."

MTV

Central European Media in license deal with MTV

Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. said Thursday that it signed a licensing deal with MTV Networks International that allows it to create an MTV channel in the Czech Republic.

AFRICA

My Video Award Contest at the MTV Africa Music Awards

Aspirant music video creators across the African continent are being given the opportunity to shine at the first ever MTV Africa Music Awards with the My Video award and with the support of Zain (MAMAs). Zain is a telecommunications company operating in emerging markets and which aims to become one of the top ten mobile groups in the world by 2011.

NGOs, ACHAP collaborate against HIV/AIDS in Botswana

Three non-governmental organisations in Botswana have joined forces in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic, signing a partnership with the African comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships (ACHAP).

Shell sponsors MTV Base on African entertainment

As part of its corporate social responsibilities, Shell Nigeria Limited is partnering with MTV Base Network Africa to uplift contemporary African music, the second time it is undertaking the venture.

CARIBBEAN & LATIN AMERICA

Brazil to produce generic AIDS drug

Jose Gomes Temporao said Wednesday the decision to produce efavirenz, a generic version of Stocrin, was taken because Merck refused to reduce its price. Production should begin in the first half of 2009.

NY Press Screening Of 'What Goes Around'

Sunrason Films, Johnny Blacks Entertainment, and O-Don, in collaboration with the Caribbean Cultual Theatre present a special media screening of Director Steve "Tehut Nine" McAlpin's latest film 'What Goes Around.' Giving a brand new take on the age old adage 'you reap what you sow,' this comedic drama takes through the ups and downs of romance and relationships, while educating about HIV/AIDS prevention.

ADVERTISING NEWS

Gamers Next Frontier For Political Ads

Video games could be the next frontier in political advertising, according to new data from a Pew Internet & American Life Project study. The research, which surveyed over 1,100 youths ages 12-17, found some distinct correlations between their game play and civic activities.

HIV/AIDS AND SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS

‘A Lot of Unknowns’

Medical advances are helping many HIV patients live into old age. But that blessing presents its own unique set of tribulations.

Hip/Hop Artists Raise HIV/AIDS Awareness

Folks down in Texas were treated to an apparently awesome concert that was also a worthy cause. Mike Jones, David Banner and Day26 (among others) performed a "Hip Hop for HIV" concert to bring attention to the effect HIV/AIDS are having on the black and Latin@ communities. Concert goers received tickets for the concert by getting tested. And although the outreach targeted black and Latin@ communities, the testing was meant for everyone,

Internet's Largest Sex Health Survey Gets One Millionth Response

To date, the Sex Health Guru Survey has generated more than 1.2 million responses, and continues to grow with thousands of new responses every day. To achieve such high levels of participation, the survey uses a calculated mix of serious research questions and questions designed to entertain.

Nation's Largest Human AIDS Ribbon Ceremony

The National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC) at the United States Conference of AIDS will attempt to create the Nation's Largest Living/Human AIDS Ribbon as Part Of their Annual Conference's Opening Ceremonies to Honor Those Working on the Frontlines of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic

UNAIDS honors Yao Ming for AIDS work

China basketball star Yao Ming and two others -- a French businessman and a Chinese professor -- received UNAIDS awards on Wednesday for their contributions to AIDS prevention efforts and the elimination of discrimination against HIV/AIDS-infected people.

MOBILE NEWS

Mobile Search To Become Big Business
Mobile search is on its way to becoming big business and could be worth as much as $2.4 billion in three years, according to Mobile Content Networks. MCN is a mobile search rival to Google and Yahoo; it earns money placing ads alongside mobile phone search results and screens. The mobile search firm believes the market will more than double each year as consumption of wireless data and mobile content accelerates through 2011.

Nielsen: Rise In Mobile-Only Phone Users

The trend toward mobile-only phone consumers is growing, according to a new Nielsen Company study--partly due to a weakening economy. Currently, 20 million households--about 17% of the country--rely completely on a mobile phone for their communications needs.

Phone Jacks, Be Gone! One In Five May Go Mobile-Only

Hard-wired phones may increasingly become a victim of the tightening U.S. economy as consumers look for new ways to cut spending. A new Nielsen Mobile study indicates that one in five U.S. wireless households could be wireless-only by the end of 2008. Already 20 million households, or 17%, are abandoning land line phones in favor of mobile ones. That's up from only 8.5% in 2005.

MULTI CULTURAL NEWS

HIV/AIDS professionals gather for National Minority AIDS Council

Today through Sunday, HIV/AIDS professionals from across the country will address those facts and discuss ways to stop the spread of the virus at the National Minority AIDS Council, the largest annual AIDS-related meeting in the United States, at the Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center.

PHILANTHROPY

Bill Gates Tops Forbes List Of Wealthy Americans

Gates held onto his first-place position in the United States even as he lost his global first-place spot to Mexico's Carlos Slim. Slim is no stranger to U.S. high-tech circles, as he was a major investor in MCI and in CompUSA. He recently took a major equity position in the New York Times.

SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS

Latest Trends and Best Practices for Social Media

The Society for New Communications Research, a nonprofit global think tank dedicated to the advanced study of the latest developments in new media and communications, and their effect on traditional media and business models, communications, culture and society, will hold its 3rd Annual Research Symposium & Awards Gala on Friday, November 14th

Social Networking Passes Porn As Top Search Category
In his new book, "Click: What Millions of People are Doing Online and Why it Matters," Hitwise General Manager of Global Research Bill Tancer reveals that social networking sites are the Internet's biggest attraction, surpassing pornography and underscoring a seismic shift in the way people communicate.

Social Networking Sight Provides Glimpse Into Global Community

Livemocha, a social-networking site with a special twist: helping people learn a new language by communicating with native speakers.

OTHER NEWS

Creator of Bud Lizards Gets HBO Series
Steve Dildarian was the brains behind the comical Budweiser "Lizards" spots, which he wrote while at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners a few years back. Now the ad guy is becoming a TV guy.

Farley Flex named a National Ambassador for UNICEF Canada

Flex is, of course, best known to Canadian Idol fans as a judge on the popular TV show, but the music industry icon is also a humanitarian and gives his time to many organizations, including Merry-Go-Round, ParticipAction and now UNICEF.

Global Malaria Estimates Are Reduced

The World Health Organization (WHO) has cut its global estimate of yearly malaria cases by more than 100 million, according to a report released Thursday by the health agency. Almost all of that downward revision was attributable to updated surveillance numbers — mostly in Asia, and particularly in India — rather than a measurable reduction of actual malaria cases, agency staff said.

More Hits for Newspapers

Market woes hit the industry--again. Newspapers took another round of blows this week with tandem announcements of more job cuts at McClatchy, an employee lawsuit at Tribune and the likely closure of the Newark, N.J.-based Star-Ledger in January.

MSNBC Launches Site For Dateline Reporter
MSNBC thinks investigative journalism on TV is a natural source of content for the Web. To prove it, Chris Hansen, the Dateline NBC investigative reporter known for the controversial ongoing "To Catch a Predator" reports, is getting his own Web site courtesy of MSNBC.com.

New HBO Rival Scrambles For A Cable Distributor
MGM, Lionsgate and Paramount have been working to create a premium movie channel that would take on HBO, Showtime and Starz. They were counting on Comcast to be a partner and distribute their channel, but Comcast recently pulled out.