It happens every other year. The Olympics, a spectacular hit on television, come to an end. And soon after the closing ceremonies a new show that received torrents of promotion during the Games makes its debut, accompanied by the high hopes of the network's entertainment division.

The two major cable news networks said they are seeing a boost in ad spending by marketers following strong TV ratings for the Democratic National Convention last month and this week's Republican National Convention taking place in the hometown of many media buyers.

Breaking with tradition, groups across the political spectrum keep up television spots.

Size isn't everything, but as long as we're counting, which media operation reserved the most floor space for their headquarters at the Republican National Convention?

In the pages of King, a bimonthly men's magazine for the rims, bling and sneakers set, one thing is prized more than a taut waistline and a pretty face, shapely legs or a perky bosom: a large behind.

Ever since the low-carbohydrate craze gave Miller Lite a potent bragging point last year - it has fewer carbs than Bud Light, the best-selling beer brand - its ad contest with Anheuser-Busch has grown increasingly raucous.

Could "Star Trek" be dying? It's enough to make Mr. Spock laugh. Over the weekend Mr. Nimoy joined others from the cast of the original "Star Trek" television series at a fan convention here organized by Planet Xpo to honor James Doohan, who played Scotty, the Enterprise engineer, in his last convention appearance.

Ten days ago, the ad agency for left-leading political magazine The Nation sent a 60-second commercial to the cable networks promoting its brand of political news and commentary as free of White House influence and corporate agendas. The ad will appear on Time Warner's CNN, as well as NBC Universal's MSNBC and Bravo, but it will not appear on Fox News Channel.

In October, most major cellphone carriers plan to start compiling a publicly accessible listing of wireless phone numbers.

Back when we had a handful of TV channels, a few dozen magazines, a few radio stations per market, and outdoor, things were simple. Consumers, advertisers, and the media enjoyed such a simple relationship. No one really needed to define it as a contract. Yet it was there, a quid pro quo, something-for-something contract. It may have been unwritten, but it was real. Call it the advertising trinity.