Fox will produce original episodes of "The Simpsons" for mobile phones, says network President Peter Chernin. New episodes of the comedy--now in its 18th season--would come out of the company's new investment in mobile-video producer Jamba. (News Corp. has a $188 million agreement to buy control of Jamba from VeriSign.) Fox said Jamba's expanded offerings would include The Simpsons Mobile, selling content such as clips and ring tones from the show. Chernin notes that new episodes for mobile could be ready before the end of the year, although he gave few details. It's expected that the new originals will be …

Australian Prime Minister John Howard is facing a revolt from members of his own party over plans for a radical overhaul of media-ownership laws. The new laws, just introduced in Parliament, will allow more foreign investment while loosening cross-media ownership restrictions--and are expected to spark a wave of consolidation. Many worry they will result in a further loss of diversity in a $9 billion market already dominated by a handful of a few moguls. But a growing number of lawmakers have threatened to vote against the legislation. Howard refuses to discuss the party split, but a spokesman for the opposition …

A murdered South African actor has come back to life--at least in a series of ads. With his family's blessing, Brett Goldin--slain execution-style in April--is again the pitchman for insurance company Liberty Life. While some people have questioned the tastefulness of the campaign, it has his survivors' full backing. "He worked really, really hard to become well-known," says his sister Sam. "We would hate for everything that Brett worked for to be tossed away and forgotten." While the ads were pulled on news of his death by Liberty Life, and the ad agency, TBWA Hunt Lascaris, representatives of both approached …

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin now says he is not comfortable with some of the agency's decisions that he backed just a few years go--the ones aimed at letting big media companies increase their holdings. His seeming about-face at his confirmation hearing for a second term comes as the FCC reconsiders its rules limiting media ownership--including one that limits them in the largest markets. When asked whether he feels comfortable that a company could own eight radio stations, three TV stations, the cable company, and the dominant newspaper in one city, he said it gives him pause. "I'm not …

A kids' TV activist group wants to know what happened to its ad complaints. The United Church of Christ Office of Communications says it has written the FCC to check the status of four petitions it has filed over the past two years to deny license renewals to stations it alleges violated kids' TV ad rules. The first two petitions--against WPXW and WDCA, both in Washington, D.C.--were filed in Sept. 2004, while the other two, against Univision's WGHS and Raycom's WUAB Cleveland, were filed in August 2005. The group argues that the stations' kids' shows do not fit the bill, …

His unhappiness with media coverage following the 9/11 terrorist attacks prompted banker Mo Hassan to quit his job and launch a TV channel aimed at fostering understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims. Five years later, the nation's largest cable operator announced Tuesday that his Bridges TV is now part of its basic digital package in Michigan--meaning hundreds of thousands of potential new viewers. The channel, which features lifestyle and cultural programming along with news and talk, has recently shifted away from that model in order to reach a broader audience. "We're trying to create a dialogue between 300 million Americans and …

Rodale has created a new position--brand editor--at its Prevention magazine, and has named Leah McLaughlin to fill the spot. The idea is for her to develop brand extensions for the magazine, including its Web site, DVDs, and book series. "When she thinks about a story idea, it's not just a story in Prevention," says Liz Vaccariello, editor in chief. "It also might have legs on the Web site; it may be a book someday. It could be a tent at the walking marathon we put on. But it shows that we're constantly thinking about how to reach out to consumers …

When the new TV season begins next week, it will be notable for its risk-taking, not usually a strong suit for the broadcast networks. While past seasons have been known for copycatting, as networks launch shows nearly identical to existing series, this season could stand out for a willingness to embrace new themes and approaches. "This is positive because there aren't a whole bunch of programs that look alike," says Steve Sternberg, evp of audience analysis at Magna Global. For John Rash, svp and director of media negotiations at Campbell Mithun, it is the best new season in years because …

This year's late upfront is giving the TV ad market an unexpected bounce, as media buyers report that clients are adding to their May buys. With more visibility for their 2007 plans, they are adding dollars, say some agency executives, who cite a surprisingly strong network programming roster as a reason for the stronger investments. It is impossible to quantify exactly how much money might be in the market, but the networks welcome it. After all, the business struggled with a tough upfront environment earlier this year. Still, two broadcast-network sales chiefs confirm an influx of money, but say that …

Spike Lee will follow up his documentary on Hurricane Katrina with a drama for NBC that is set in New Orleans, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Called "NoLa," it will have a multicultural ensemble, and will explore the post-storm lives of Big Easy residents from various backgrounds. "It's a show about the city trying to rebuild itself, and the people who are trying to put their lives together," says Lee, who adds that he started thinking about it while he was filming "When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts" for HBO. And, much like that documentary, "NoLa" will …