Comedy Central Needs a Conservative Counterweight by David Goetzl

It's time for Comedy Central to go right. If its appeal is mainly in Democratic forts such as Boston or San Francisco, it has to go red state. It's time for the network to give conservatives who in Jon Stewart's words feel they've been the "victims of a witch hunt" a place of refuge. Forget ideology. That's not the reason to do it. But like drill baby drill and tax cuts, there's money in it. There's a chance to expand viewership. It worked for Fox News. The network needs a late-night show with a comedian who likes guns; says the ...Read the whole story

  • Andrew Morse; Bloomberg Television

    Andrew Morse, executive producer of innovation and integration for ABC News Digital, has been named head of Bloomberg Television in the U.S. ...Read the whole story

  • Broadcast Bonanza: TV, Radio Boost GDP, Jobs by Wayne Friedman

    An NAB-commissioned media study says local radio and television broadcasting -- direct and supporting businesses -- contributes $1.17 trillion to the U.S. gross domestic product, with 2.52 million jobs. ...Read the whole story

  • Media Meld: Google Acquires SageTV by Laurie Sullivan

    As companies develop or acquire media management software, online and broadcast TV advertising will discover closer ties. In that vein, Google bought the technology from SageTV, a company that makes home theater software for PCs. ...Read the whole story

  • Discovery Enlists Art, Science Luminaries For Curiosity.com by David Goetzl

    As Discovery Channel gears up for the launch of its sprawling "Curiosity" event series later this summer, a companion Web site has debuted, featuring scholars answering questions and a social media component. ...Read the whole story

  • Acme Enjoys Slight $3.5 Rev Uptick by Wayne Friedman

    TV broadcaster Acme Communications says automotive advertising appears to be softer in the second quarter -- a trend that differs at other TV station groups. It records net rev gains of 5% and best results from its syndicated TV show "The Daily Buzz." ...Read the whole story

  • 2012: TV Political Ad Buys Predicted To Hit $3B by Wayne Friedman

    Moody's Investors Service says political advertising revenue for those pure-play broadcasters can expect gains of 9% to 18% over historically high political advertising levels seen in 2010 -- hitting just under $3 billion. ...Read the whole story

  • CBS Carries Grammys Tune by David Goetzl

    At a time when awards shows offer ample opportunities for backstage extras, social-media exploitation and other multiplatform content, CBS has a deal to continue carrying the Grammys through 2021. ...Read the whole story

  • 'Falling Skies' Earns 6M Viewers In Debut by Wayne Friedman

    TNT's sci-fi drama "Falling Skies" pulled in the best ratings for a new cable series launch this year -- but it wasn't enough to beat NBC's "Miss USA" pageant, nor TNT's big drama launch last year ...Read the whole story

  • CBS Boston Duo Becomes MyNetworkTV Affil by David Goetzl

    The CBS-owned independent station in Boston is becoming a MyNetworkTV affiliate this fall. WSBK, part of a duopoly with WBZ (the CBS station), is joining MyNetworkTV, which airs off-net shows such as "Without A Trace" and "Burn Notice" in back-to-back blocks. ...Read the whole story

  • retail Michelin Man Gets Wet In New Ad by Karl Greenberg

    "Max and his son made their way homeward bound, when mischievous rain fell down, down down; safety was threatened by every roguish drip, they slipped and slid, they couldn't get a grip." The Michelin man appears at roadside throwing tires like Frisbees. ...Read the whole story

On Positioning by Bob DeSena

Positioning is a concept that's been defined and mapped. There have been books written about it (thank you, Jack Trout and Al Ries) and multiple processes created to develop it. When I moved from the agency to the client side, I did a thorough study of the various ways to think about positioning and to develop it for my brands. It always came down to three essential elements: an intimate understanding of your target; an intimate understanding of the competition for your target; and a sustainable way to beat the competition. ...More

  • Always Pledging Allegiance, Before All Entertainment -- Or None At All by Wayne Friedman

    Why are we only talking about the pledge of allegiance to our flag for the opening of an golf event? Shouldn't we be require to cite our allegiance before other business and sports openings -- perhaps just after waking up in the morning, or before going to sleep at night? ...More

  • A Whopper Of A Channel -- For Viewers With a Taste for Static TV by Amy Corr

    Yule Log. Rotisserie chicken. Whopper sandwiches. Or, things you can watch on TV 24/7, atop flames. In one of its last campaigns for Burger King (it will soon be replaced by mcgarrybowen), Crispin Porter + Bogusky created a channel on DirecTV that displays nothing but a flame-broiled Whopper sandwich. ...More

  • What NYC's High Line Tells Us About Time-Shifting by Mark Lieberman

    Last week, to celebrate our wedding anniversary, my wife and I went for a walk on the High Line, the incredible park that's been created from an old elevated freight-train track on the southwest side of Manhattan. It's a dramatic experience, and to my mind, one of the best projects in New York City going back decades. But what strikes me most about the High Line is its story of reclamation: The park transformed a dilapidated old train track -- a blight on the urban landscape -- into a world-class destination in its own right. How does this relate to ...More

  • Cable's Big Headlines This Upfront: Continued Good News, Or A More Complex Story? by Wayne Friedman

    This TV headline looks good: For the first time, cable networks grabbed more upfront advertising dollars than broadcast networks -- $8.96 billion versus broadcast's $8.5 billion. But digging deeper, we can see this is like comparing a few apples to a lot of oranges. Typical published cable upfront numbers refer to all day-parts -- not just the prime time referenced for the broadcasters -- and some 70 advertising-supported cable networks, versus five to seven broadcast networks. ...More