Apple might well kill the 30-second TV commercial. The new Apple TV device that ships sometime this week will allow easy transmission of TV shows purchased on iTunes -- sans commercials. While some experts aren't convinced that Apple TV will be as big a hit as iPod, this could change how people watch television. "There's no question that one of the problems with the traditional 30-second TV ad is digital video recorders," says Tim Wilson, a general partner with Partech International, a venture-capital firm. "The whole market is under threat from TiVo-like functions. And it's going to get …

Miller Brewing Co. has taken some of its Miller Lite ad business in-house. While a Miller rep says he can't recall the last time the brewer created its own ads, agency Crispin Porter & Bogusky is still busy on a campaign this spring. Still, the new ads -- debuting during the NCAA's basketball tournament -- are 15-second spots aimed to differentiate Miller Lite as the "Ultimate Light Beer by Design" and potion the brand as a "clear choice for those who challenge convention." Spots claim Miller Lite has "more taste" and "half the carbs" of Bud Light. The …

Cable giant Comcast doubled its local broadcast ad spending to just under $45 million in the fourth quarter of 2006. The nation's largest cable operator was the No. 15 local TV advertiser last year, according to TNS Media Intelligence. The bump comes as Comcast tries to fend off competition from Verizon Communications, AT&T and direct-broadcast satellite rivals EchoStar Communications and DirecTV. Meanwhile, Time Warner was the 10th-biggest spender on local TV in the quarter, with $68.8 million on local broadcast-TV ads, up 75% from the fourth quarter of 2005. But AT&T spent the most, with $80 million, an …

With other large states ready to follow California and move presidential primaries and caucuses to Feb. 5, campaigns are going to have to reconsider how they use television advertising. Right now, a full-blown TV blitz aired in the last weeks of the nomination fight in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina can run $200,000 to $400,000 a week. To be somewhat competitive in those states, a campaign usually needs to spend $50,000 to $60,000, according to Evan Tracey, COO of TNS Media Intelligence/CMAG. But in California, New Jersey, Illinois, Florida and Texas -- states with some of the …

A battle between free dailies and traditional newspapers has been raging for some time overseas -- and it is about to get hotter here, too. Some European cities have as many as five dailies, squeezing both advertising and circulation revenue at their paid-for rivals. London and Copenhagen are just two of the cities already awash in free papers, and it looks like Boston could be next. In the coming months, another free paper called Boston Now, will hit the streets. It is backed by Dagsbrun, Iceland's largest media company, and the publisher is Russel Pergament, founder of freebie Metro …

Wieden + Kennedy, which helped create the Nike swoosh and "Just do it" slogan, will not pursue a new running category that the sneaker and apparel maker has put into review, according to insiders. The agency, which has most of Nike's $220 million account, will stick with the business it has. The client recently told Wieden, its agency for over 20 years, that it would expand its agency roster, only the third time Nike has reached out to other shops. A "category alignment" by the marketer prompted the review, as it has long divided its business into footwear, …

Applebee's, facing a recent sales turndown, has put part of its $180 million ad account, currently at DraftFCB here, into review. And the agency, which handles creative work for the restaurant chain, declines to defend. "We are eager to write the next chapter in the advertising life of this great brand," says Applebee's CMO George Williams. "We are looking for the best and brightest minds in the business to bring forward fresh, new and compelling advertising ..." Williams joined the company last month after stints at Blockbuster and agencies The Richards Group and Marc USA. "After a very …

In a new campaign touting ESPN Fantasy Baseball, the sports channel has a fictional band named Iron Diamond, performing an equally fictional rock opera, "Fantasy Baseball is Free." Fronted by John Kruk, co-host of ESPN's "Baseball Tonight," the group includes Geddy Lee, singer and bassist from Rush. The 30-second spot follows a quest to seek fantasy baseball knowledge from "The Master," i.e. ESPN personality Peter Gammons. Numerous players are featured, including Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo and Gary Sheffield of the Cleveland Indians, along with ESPNers personalities Matthew Berry, Buster Olney, Eric Karabell and Jennie Finch. The …

Martin Sorrell is accusing two former colleagues of a hate campaign against him, in which they label him and a female executive "the mad dwarf and the nympho schizo." Founder and chief executive of WPP Group, Sorrell also complains to the High Court in the U.K. about a "vicious image" that had been disseminated about him and Daniela Weber, who replaced the former colleagues, on the Internet. The image in question is said to be a mocked-up photo of Sorrell and Weber in a compromising position. Sorrell and Weber are suing Marco Benatti, the founder of the Italian media …

USA Network has closed yet another week as cable's most-watched channel,averaging 2.67 million viewers in prime time for the week ended March 11 and sweeping the demos, including adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and adults 18-34. It also had the two most-watched programs on cable, averaging 6.15 million viewers with the second half of its "WWE Raw," while 5.26 million tuned in for one of the Monday night versions. So far this year, USA has won all but one week in prime, trailing only TNT for Feb. 18, which featured the NBA All-Star Game. Disney was second behind USA, while …