Former Hollinger CEO Conrad Black, facing federal fraud and racketeering charges for diverting cash from the company, is still living the high life, reports The Wall Street Journal. Black, whose trial is scheduled to start next March, is forking over $95,000 a month in mortgage and property taxes for his Toronto estate, plus $7,900 a month in gardening bills. That has led Judge Amy St. Eve of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois to demand that he explain his spending. Prosecutors charge that he has violated a $20 million bail bond by not disclosing all of his …

Anyone who thinks EchoStar and DirecTV are about to merge should remember a Rupert Murdoch-prepared report, "Essential Guide to the Echo-Star/DirecTV Deal," writes Al Lewis in the Denver Post. The report, "a 123-page diatribe," was circulating in 2002 and argued in detail why EchoStar should not be allowed to acquire DirecTV from Hughes Electronics. It called the deal anti-competitive, and said it would result in higher rates for customers, backing its claims with letters from state attorneys general and the National Association of Broadcasters. At the time, EchoStar's Charlie Ergen had outbid Murdoch for DirecTV, fair and square. "But not …

The "Spider-Man" movie franchise, which has taken in more than $1.6 billion for Sony Pictures thus far, could be making its final bow with the rollout of "Spider-Man 3" next year, reports USA Today. "We've done an amazing job at keeping things fresh," star Tobey Maguire tells the paper. But it's hard to imagine continuously coming up with stories that deserve to be told, he says. "I'm not sure if there are more stories for this character that are interesting enough to be excited about doing." Sony isn't saying, but the newspaper notes that other superhero franchises, such as the …

Although the buzz will be on Katie Couric anchoring the "CBS Evening News this fall," once the early curiosity factor dies down, the well-respected Charles Gibson could be the name to beat," predicts Mediaweek. Gibson, whose newscast is now titled "World News," notes the "focus on the competitive aspects makes it sort of 'Brian vs. Katie vs. Charlie.' But I really don't look at it that way." He adds that they are all great shows, and the "end-of-the-day product of extraordinary news organizations."

Charles Gibson took some time out from a visit to the latest round of bloodshed in the Middle East to speak to American TV writers via satellite, reports Ad Age. Gibson says he is excited about the 2008 election, since it may be the first since 1952 where the races for the nominations are wide open. He adds that one of his main areas of interest in politics now is the supposed disappearing middle ground and the redistricting that has made it tougher for politicians to occupy the center. "This is a real problem," he says. "We have to find …

With The Wall Street Journal allowing ads on the front page and The New York Times printing them on the front of its business section, Crain's Chicago Business wonders if the Chicago Tribune is next. With some news-only pages being eyed for a makeover, a spokeswoman tells the weekly that the region's largest daily is "exploring opportunities" for advertising on the front pages of more newspaper sections. It currently only sells them at the head of classified sections, but not beefier sections, like Metro, Sports, and Tempo. The back page of the Tribune's weekday A section--a news-only zone right now--could …

Playboy is losing more than Miss July's wardrobe. In a move to strip out costs, Playboy Enterprises will cut its annual programming and editorial budgets by about $4.5 million and cut about 30 jobs, Reuters reports. The reductions, part of a previously announced plan, come as the 53-year-old company started by Hugh Hefner struggles with mounting losses at its eponymous magazine due to lower ad and newsstand revenue. The percentage of the total budget to face the ax is unknown. A Playboy spokeswoman declined to say how much the company spends each year on programming and editorial. The company also …

Actor Robert De Niro won't be taking over the weekly The New York Observer after all, writes Keith Kelly in the New York Post. After months of talks and a letter of intent, negotiations between the actor's Tribeca Enterprises and Observer owner Arthur Carter fell apart. "We were approached by The New York Observer to take a look at acquiring a majority interest in the publication," says Craig Hatkoff, a partner with De Niro in the Tribeca Film Festival. "Unfortunately, we could not come to mutually acceptable terms." The Observer is "a terrific publication" and he wished Carter "the best …

Daniel Snyder already has a football team and a chain of amusement parks. Now he's set his sights on the media sector, reports The Washington Post. On Tuesday, the Washington Redskins' owner rolled out his latest venture, a group of three radio stations that will broadcast Redskins games, ESPN talk programs and an afternoon show hosted by a former Redskins running back. The three stations will operate under the name "Triple X ESPN Radio." The move follows the lead of other sports franchises that have built up networks to reach fans while giving their owners direct control over content. The …

George W. Bush's recent curse word, captured on an open microphone, underscores an odd quandary about the nation's indecency laws, notes The Hollywood Reporter. Cable networks are free to air the quote in its entirety--and it has been all over the Internet. But broadcast nets risk fines, and could even lose their licenses if they don't bleep it. Clips of the remark were available almost immediately, but broadcast executives and attorneys say that putting it on the tube would put them at risk of FCC sanctions. "I guess the FCC has performed a new feat by forcing broadcasters to censor …