In a turn from its celebrity-heavy campaign of last year, Wal-Mart has kicked off its holiday push with a multimedia campaign on the lives of a fictional middle-class family. The theme of the series of 17 TV spots is "Be Bright" and focuses on traditions, like the family photo and the Thanksgiving Day nap. "This is completely different than anything we've done for them before," says Steve Bernstein, COO of outgoing agency Bernstein Rein. "They're self-contained episodes, like mini sitcoms, and--in a first for Wal-Mart--use humor." Jason Reitman, director of "Thank You for Smoking," directed the spots and the …

While the publishing industry struggles to find growth in the United States, it is astonishingly vibrant in the world's largest democracy: India. According to a survey by the National Readership Studies Council released in August, the number of people in the country who read a newspaper every day grew by 12.6 million to 203.6 million over the previous year--an increase of more than 6%. The sheer number of titles is stunning, with 11 English-language dailies delivered to Time's Delhi office. And that is a relatively small selection, whose number and circulations pale in comparison to their Hindi cousins. So …

In a signal that it has given up on winning in a handful of contested races, the Republican Party has pulled spending from at least three markets, including Rep. Curt Weldon's bid for re-election in Pennsylvania and open seats in Colorado and Ohio. Some of the money will be spent to help other Republicans in races that remain competitive. In contrast, Democrats are expanding the number of districts where they are advertising. The Dems have moved into districts in New Hampshire, New York, Kansas and Nebraska that have long been in GOP hands. And while the GOP had …

Former ESPN baseball analyst Harold Reynolds has sued the network for at least $5 million, claiming he was wrongly fired after an intern complained about what he calls a "brief and innocuous" hug. Reynolds had been with ESPN from 1996 until he was canned in late July. According to his lawsuit, ESPN terminated his new six-year, $6 million contract without specific reasons. "I have tried everything possible to handle this situation quietly behind the scenes," Reynolds says. "After numerous conversations and multiple mediation discussions with ESPN executives, it is clear that ESPN had no intention of solving this problem …

An internal ABC Radio Networks memo that Media Matters for America says it obtained from a listener to "The Peter B. Collins Show" indicates that nearly 100 advertisers insist their commercials be blacked out on Air America Radio affiliates. According to the memo, the advertisers insist that "none of their commercials air" during programming on the progressive talk and news network. Among those listed are Bank of America, Exxon Mobil, Federal Express, General Electric, McDonald's, Microsoft, Wal-Mart and the U.S. Navy.

The 2006 election is shaping up into the ugliest yet, with negative ads accounting for 80% of the total in some races--up from 60% the last time around. And campaign analysts warn that could bring even more mudslinging in the future. "The 2008 campaign will be the dirtiest ever," predicts Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. "There will be no sitting president or vice president running, and the last time that happened was 1928. The mud will be so thick that people won't be able to see their TV screens." A …

Roche's biggest ad campaign for the prescription antiviral drug Tamiflu is drawing some fire for attempting to build demand for the drug, which is not very effective. The company will promote it heavily over the Thanksgiving weekend via ads in print, TV, movie theaters, online and in airports. The ads star the penguins that appear in the new animated movie "Happy Feet." Roche says it is spending a "significant" amount of money and the unbranded advertising--that doesn't mention Tamiflu by name--is to raise awareness as flu season begins. "Flu is a serious illness that affects up to 40 million …

Chrysler is rolling out a multimedia campaign behind its new 2007 Sebring that will include TV spots, print ads, product placement and sponsorship of Time magazine's "Person of the Year." Officially beginning Nov. 1 with ads on prime-time shows and late-night talk shows, the spots will also move to cable stations, including Food Network, HGTV, Fine Living, DIY and USA. Separate ad spots will air in Mandarin, Hindi and Korean on ethnic networks, while the print side includes Sports Illustrated, Time, Newsweek and Ladies' Home Journal, along with auto mags and newspapers like USA Today and The Wall Street …