It looks as if the National Do Not Call Registry, which has been wildly popular with consumers, is starting to take a toll on companies that rely on telemarketing for a good chunk of sales.

As many American newspapers struggle to hold on to readers, the industry's Spanish-language segment is expanding circulation and seeing competition increase. An influx of Hispanic immigrants and the growing buying power of those who have been in this country for years have motivated major media companies to revamp or launch Spanish-language dailies in about half a dozen major cities.

Comcast Corp., the largest U.S. cable company, on Thursday said it would buy TechTV, the cable channel devoted to the technology industry, from Vulcan Programming. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Simon Cowell, the often brutally acerbic judge on the Fox television hit "American Idol," insists it was an innocent posture, not an obscene gesture.

Comcast Corp. chief executive Brian Roberts said Wednesday that "some facts would have to change" before his company would consider raising its offer for Walt Disney Co. Speaking to fellow CEOs in his company's largest cable market, Roberts reiterated previous comments that the proposed Disney acquisition is not a "must have" for Comcast.

Chalk one up for SpongeBob. Nickelodeon, home of the top-rated kids' show "SpongeBob SquarePants," has pulled off an unusual maneuver that probably will reshuffle the cable network ratings and hurt rivals such as Lifetime, USA Network and TNT.

TiVo plans to unveil a new feature this fall that will bring Web-like, interactive advertisements to TV, highlighting early efforts to reinvent television for the age of the digital video recorder.

With some changes already, Starcom MediaVest Group may undergo some more personnel shifts as it's rumored that Jack Klues might get moved up.

Both services don't draw the same audience that the top shock jock does, but that might change if more radio fans say that want to get their Howard Stern show via satellite radio.

If there's a battle of words going on for the heart and soul of the Walt Disney Co., it's being waged with the help of the "Director of Revenge," Zenia B. Mucha. The Los Angeles Times says that she is "quick to unleash her inner pit bull on critics and the reporters who give them voice."