Oliver Stone has unveiled a new ad that calls for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Stone, who directed award-winning films abut Vietnam like "Platoon" and "Born on the Fourth of July," did the spot with the sponsorship of MoveOn.org and VoteVets.org. It features a plea from John Bruhns, an infantry sergeant who fought in Iraq. "We were told to liberate these people. They were shooting at us," Bruhns says in it. "To keep American soldiers in Iraq for an indefinite period of time, being attacked by an unidentifiable enemy, is wrong, immoral and irresponsible." …

Almost one-third of Americans have a negative view of Katie Couric, putting her popularity behind rivals Charles Gibson and Brian Williams the same way her evening news program trails theirs in the ratings. A Gallup Poll finds that 51 percent have a positive view of Couric, who jumped from NBC's "Today" show to CBS last year, while Gibson and Williams are at 62 percent and 59 percent, respectively. Gibson started his gig last spring, and trailed Williams in 2006. But over the last three months, ABC's "World News" has garnered the most viewers over eight weeks, while NBC's …

Three months after Jim Samples resigned, Cartoon Network has a new chief: Stuart Snyder was named executive vice president-chief operating officer, animation, young adults and kids media by Turner Broadcasting. His new position brings together a wide range of properties, including Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Adult Swim and various digital units. He has been with Turner, a division of Time Warner, since 2005 when he was hired to run GameTap, an online gaming site that reaches 20 million users and subscribers. Previously, he was president-COO of World Wrestling Entertainment. "We looked at our portfolio of businesses and …

Ion Media Networks will offer classic and new commercials in a new late-night MTV-style hour as part of a programming deal with RHI Entertainment. The former Pax Network will also air up to 24 original movies and miniseries expanding its previously announced six per year. "We think this is a great opportunity to put the TV movie back on television," says Robert Halmi Jr., president and CEO of RHI. First out will be "Killer Wave" in July, as RHI programs prime-time Fridays-Sundays for Ion. The net will also feature Firebrand on Ion, a multiplatform approach that blends classic …

The newspaper industry is keeping an eye on The Philadelphia Inquirer as it rolls out a staff-written business column sponsored by a local merchant. Citizens Bank pays for the column space and will have its logo and company colors on the feature, which is a collection of blurbs taken from company filings and other local news. The Inquirer insists the column is in not an advertorial and remains under the control of staff and editors. "There's been a lot of concern [from staff] over the appearance of sponsorship and what it means," says Tony Gnoffo, the paper's assistant …

Former radio host Don Imus has signed up a trial lawyer to help him sue CBS Radio following his firing last month for calling the Rutgers University women's basketball team a bunch of "nappy-headed hos." Martin Garbus has agreed to represent the disgraced Imus in a breach of contract suit against the media behemoth and says he plans to file against CBS in the near future. Neither Imus nor CBS has any comment, but he had $40 million remaining on a multiyear contact that began in 2006 and included a proviso that he should be "irreverent" and "controversial." …

After bringing the MTV Video Music Awards back to New York last year, the net may move them again -- this time to Las Vegas. According to several insiders, the cable net is looking at Sin City for the 2007 show in Las Vegas but has yet to sign with a specific venue. "If it's not a done deal yet, it's something they're strongly considering," says a Las Vegas entertainment industry source. MTV's interest in Vegas is well-known, and while the exact location has yet to be determined, some are betting on the ultra-hip Palms, with its new …

Joan Blackwood is the new chief marketing officer at Monster.com filling a slot that has been empty for a while. She comes to the online career services firm from Computer Associates, following stints at Bank of America and Royal Bank of Canada. While a new boss often means an agency switch, that isn't happening -- at least for now. Independent Boston shop Brand Content has had the business for two years. "Monster's relationships with our current agencies and vendors remain status quo at this time," says spokeswoman Danielle Perry. Earlier this year, the company rolled a new campaign tagged …

A new ad campaign to help prevent motorcycle accidents bows this week, largely thanks to the work of a woman who lost her husband in one last year. After Barbara Evanhoe got over the initial shock, she decided to use her husband's memorial fund to try and keep others from going through the same ordeal. The TV campaign, to run through May, is tagged "watch out for motorcycles everywhere" and the goal is to get motorists to be extra careful when pulling into traffic. May is also National Motorcycle Awareness Month and commercials like this will …

SOAPnet will add docudrama to its line-up this summer with the debut of "The Fashionista Diaries," a look at two assistants from a trio of companies as they gear up to produce a fashion show and after-party during Fall Fashion Week in New York. The show will track young women and men working at Flirt! Cosmetics, an Estee Lauder brand, along with a small PR shop and Jane magazine. The 10 episodes are being done by Buena Vista Productions in association with Go Go Luckey Productions. "Now that SOAPnet and Buena Vista Productions are both part …