• Nielsen Cancels National Client Meeting, Cites Economy by Joe Mandese

    Nielsen's TV ratings frequently play a role in canceling shows. Now Nielsen's top show is being canceled due to some declining ratings - credit ratings. A little more than a week after canceling a promising new out-of-home television audience measurement service due to concerns about the "current economic environment," Nielsen has canceled plans for its annual client meeting in 2009. The event, which was set to take place March 11-13 in Las Vegas, has grown to be something of a boondoggle in recent years--in which Nielsen wined, dined and entertained clients, and spent more time promoting its vision and new ... ...Read the whole story

  • Braking: Auto Marketers Drop 10% In Ad Spend by Wayne Friedman

    Big Auto is begging for a bailout. So it's no surprise that automotive marketers dropped an overall 10% in their ad spending through the first half of 2008 to $6.1 billion--with only the import brands improving on average overall. The big U.S. automotives have been in major cutback mode--with possibly more to come in the second half of the year. The biggest, General Motors, slipped 6% to $1.2 billion. ...Read the whole story

  • All Business Is Personal: CBS Moves Media Biz To OMD by Wayne Friedman

    CBS Corp. has suddenly moved its $135 million media business, without a review, to Omnicom Group's OMD USA from Interpublic's Initiative. The decision was all about one key executive, Alan Cohen, and his close relationship with CBS. ...Read the whole story

  • Fight Club: ESPN Deportes Carries MMA by David Goetzl

    ESPN has entered the mixed martial arts ring. Its Spanish-language ESPN Deportes, in only 4 million homes, will begin offering MMA programming next spring. Bellator Fighting Championships will produce a two-hour weekly Saturday prime-time show for the net that includes fights and up-close-and-personal pieces about the fighters. ...Read the whole story

  • Dalva Named SVP Content, MTVN by Fern Siegel

    Eddie Dalva has been named senior vice president of content, MTV Networks Entertainment Group. In this new post, he will pursue global content opportunities, as well as strategic co-ventures and digital content partnerships. Dalva's primary focus will be Spike TV, but he will also represent TV Land and Comedy Central in select instances. ...Read the whole story

  • Power Off: 'PC' Magazine Folds by Erik Sass

    Ziff Davis Media said Wednesday that it is closing PC Magazine after the January issue, converting the brand to a digital publication. The closing, which will result in seven layoffs, marks the third print title to close this week, as consumer magazines suffer an accelerating implosion. ...Read the whole story

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