Netflix is partnering with Korean manufacturer LG Electronics to stream movies and other programming to LG's high-definition televisions. Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, says he hopes to strike other such deals and that Netflix would soon be viewed as a movie channel that might appear on myriad devices. The move could help transform Netflix from a successful company with a cumbersome dependence on physical media and the Postal Service into an important player in a rapidly emerging digital media landscape. Richard Doherty, research director of the Envisioneering Group, a market research firm, says Netflix's model has the virtue of …

As Dell broadens from just selling its wares directly over the Internet and by phone, it risks siphoning off its base of Web customers. So it is carefully choosing which retailers to link up with and then cherry-picking which products to sell in each store. Best Buy is offering Dell's desktop computers, its more expensive 14-inch Inspiron laptops, and its high-end XPS branded notebooks. But Best Buy isn't offering Dell's printers or its lower-end notebooks. Best Buy director Jason Bonfig says the retailer could have stocked all of Dell's products, but instead "it was, 'Let's find the right things …

The nature of the corporate naming rights deals for stadiums and arenas has evolved dramatically, experts say. The name on the outside of the building is now just a small part of the deal, with companies receiving luxury suites, networking opportunities, access to players and product placement. According to Revenues From Sports Venues, a Nashville-based company that tracks how stadiums and arenas make money, there have been 19 deals of $100 million or more over the past decade or so. "What has happened over the last 10 to 15 years is that these have gone from branding exercises …

Ford has entered into "focused negotiations at a more detailed level" with India's Tata Motors, meaning Tata has become the preferred bidder for its Jaguar and Land Rover units. "We will proceed with further substantive discussions with Tata Motors over the forthcoming weeks," says Lewis Booth, executive vice president of Ford's European units, in a statement. Jaguar and Land Rover employees in the United Kingdom were told about the negotiations this morning shortly before the company made the announcement. Ford spokesman Jay Ward in London would not say how much Tata has bid for the automakers, …

Steve and Barry's, the 265-store casual sportswear chain, is set to launch a surf and skate line by surfer Laird Hamilton. The collection includes graphic T-shirts, board shorts and casual clothing for men who embrace the surf and skate lifestyle. The chain has been pairing with celebrities from actress Sarah Jessica Parker to National Basketball Association player Stephon Marbury for nearly 18 months. Each star launches their own exclusive Steve and Barry's product line and makes national in-store appearances to pitch their wares, as well as the brand. Other athletes who have signed deals include golfer Bubba Watson, …

Merrill Lynch predicts overall ad spending in the U.S. for 2008 will grow 2.3%, while the portion of that spending on the Web will increase 18%. As the Internet continues to emerge as a major marketing medium, clients are calling on agencies to change the way that they operate. Among the developing trends to watch this year: 1. Advertisers want a "media-agnostic" approach--one that picks whatever medium is best for the ad campaign; 2. Television screens are increasingly popping up in grocery and department store aisles, elevators and even gas pumps; 3. A growing number of agencies are …