A new $10.5 million advertising campaign from The United Church of Canada tries to spark discussion on hot button religious issues, like gay marriage and sexual boundaries. One ad shows a wedding cake with two groom figurines and asks the question: "Does anyone object?" Another has a whipped cream bottle in the refrigerator along with the question: "How much fun can sex be before it's a sin?" This is the church's largest ad campaign ever, and will include magazines, community newspapers and online. Malcolm Roberts, who developed the campaign for the United Church, says he wants people to see …

DirecTV is restructuring its ad sales structure, bringing the entire division in-house. Previously, Twentieth Television had handled national ad sales for the satellite TV company. The new team will be led by Bob Riordan, senior vice president of advertising sales, who had previously served in that capacity at Twentieth. (Both companies are units of News Corp.) He will be based in New York and report to Eric Shanks, executive vice president, DirecTV Entertainment. Riordan's responsibilities include oversight of all aspects of the ad sales unit, including traditional media sales, advanced platforms, sports, planning and research. Shanks says that …

The business news channel planned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation has moved a step closer to reality, cutting a deal to be carried by Comcast, the nation's largest cable operator. But while Comcast has agreed to carry the channel for digital subscribers, a final decision on whether to start the channel has still not been made. The new network would be spun off from the Fox News Channel. Comcast's 12 million digital subscribers would get the channel as part of their service. Those subscribers--combined with the 15.5 million subscribers to DirecTV, also controlled by News Corporation--give the channel an …

U.S. radio operators are pushing hard to sell high-definition radios. Stations are set to air some 75,000 ads a week pushing HD digital radio, in an effort to defend its turf against satellite radio and iPods. The latest phase of the $200 million marketing push is timed to take advantage of the holiday season and the industry will, starting Nov. 13, cut prices, bringing some automotive units down to around $150. Along with its arrival at retailer Circuit City, the radios will also be found in more RadioShack locations. The move comes at a time when holiday shoppers …

While the networks have cut back sweeps period stunts of late, with awards ceremonies, miniseries and super-sized episodes kept to a minimum, one that has survived is the CMA Awards, a 40th annual version airing on ABC after 30 years at CBS. And it could help ABC to win November (its first since 1999) after tying CBS for No. 1 last year. Last year, the CMAs averaged a solid 5.4 in adults 18-49 on a Tuesday. But this year, ABC put it in place of its low-rated Monday lineup, which is averaging a 3.1. And Monday is the only …

Just six weeks into the new fall season, the new CW network is posting double-digit ratings decreases for most of the shows it picked up from the defunct WB and UPN. Media buyers are worried that the net has put itself in a potentially serious fourth-quarter makegood situation with their clients. While the problem is not so obvious, because of cumulative ratings gains in its core adults 18-34 demographic, CW is airing only the "best of the best" from both networks, so comparing those ratings this year with its ratings last year gives a lopsided return. Key returning …

An Indiana judge has rejected a county prosecutor's request that he stop a political ad the prosecutor claimed was false and defamatory. The spot, for Republican candidate Greg Kauffman, is protected speech and can remain on the air, ruled St. Joseph Superior Court Judge David Chapleau. Democrat Michael Dvorak filed a lawsuit last week asking for an injunction to halt the 30-second spot, alleging that it falsely accuses him of violating the law by hiring his wife to work in his office--a move that Dvorak insists is not illegal because he does not supervise her. But the validity of …

Media companies may be in the communications business, but it seems they are tired of talking to Wall Street. As digital upends old business models and analysts push Google and MySpace, going private is the emerging business trend for traditional media. While the trends that drive companies to go public--or private--can be cyclical, what's new is private equity's ability to buy up bigger media brands. Recently, Clear Channel, Cablevision, the Los Angeles Times and The Boston Globe have all been targeted by private-equity buyers. And rumors now abound about Viacom, the New York Times Co. and Martha Stewart Living …

The major U.S. political parties have agreed that the popular vote will no longer be used to determine the outcome of national elections. Instead, the parties and their candidates have cut a deal with Nielsen Media Research to conduct exit polls of approximately 12,000 voters nationally, and will abide by those results. While over 125 million voters are expected to turn out today, under the new system, one in 10,000 will now have their votes contribute to the exit poll results. With the elections costing approximately $3 billion, the move is seen as both cost-conscious and logical. "After …

Now that jingles are out and recycled hits are getting old, agencies are turning to music stars to write original music for commercials. Rock band They Might Be Giants is behind songs in new Dunkin' Donuts spots, while country's Toby Keith has just composed a new tribute to the pickup truck for Ford. Jip-hopper Jadakiss is writing raps for Reebok. The trend is part of the attempt to win in the 18-to-25 market--a group that doesn't like in-your-face pitches and wants fresh music. To young consumers, "someone who had a hit two years ago is an old fogey," says …