While prime time used to be "appointment television," many viewers now opt out. While Fox continues to break records with "American Idol" and top-tier events like the Super Bowl or Academy Awards remain strong, younger folks are tuning out. The University of Southern California's Entertainment Technology Center, a nonprofit venture funded by entertainment and tech players, tracks how students are watching TV. While many of them spend more time than ever glued to the screen, they are elsewhere when the networks and advertisers want them. "I've watched very little [scheduled] TV since I got my TiVo," …

Anti-smoking groups have pulled off a split with Big Tobacco, pressuring one company to drop an ad campaign, but not getting all they wanted from Hollywood. Philip Morris USA will drop the radio and TV part of its "Talk. They'll Listen" effort after the American Legacy Foundation and other industry foes protested. An article in American Journal of Public Health contended that parent-focused ads actually increase the likelihood that teens will pick up the habit. While researchers found no link between exposure to tobacco companies' prevention efforts and smoking behavior among teens, they did see a correlation between …

The "Don Imus effect" has led to the firings of more shock jocks after a joke that made fun of Asians ended the CBS Radio run of "The Dog House with JV and Elvis." The show was cut for good following a recent on-air prank that "slimp flied lice" from a Chinese restaurant. Hosts Jeff Vandergrift and Dan Lay had already been suspended. "In the wake of the Imus case, it would have been maddening to the community if these idiots did not get fired," said Queens City New York Councilman John Liu. The program was on WFNY-FM in …

The Senate Commerce Committee will delay a hearing on TV violence that was set for May 17, according to an insider. A bill giving the FCC the power to regulate it is unlikely to be introduced this week. The hearing comes after an FCC report to Congress in which it said legislators could give it the power to regulate violence, as it already does "indecency." But the committee is apparently finding it hard to line up witnesses for the hearing, now moved to June. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, (D-WV), is sponsoring the bill, and it will include some changes …

NBC is set to roll out "Age of Love" next month, a prime-time reality dating series with Australian tennis star Mark Philippoussis. The premiere of the new series is set for June 18 at 9 p.m. and it is hosted by Mark Consuelos from "All My Children." In it, 13 women-ranging in age from 21 to 48 vie for the affections of the 31-year-old Philippoussis. They are divided into two groups: the "Kittens," in their 20s and the "Cougars," sophisticated women in their 40s. The field will be winnowed each week until he finally chooses one. It is …

A group of Iraq War vets is running an ad campaign that criticizes George W. Bush for not listening to military commanders--and also takes aim at Republican lawmakers such as Maine's U.S. Sen. Susan Collins. The $500,000 effort by VoteVets.org is tagged "Protect America, not George Bush." Among its targets are four senators and 10 representatives, all Republicans. They feature three retired commanders: Maj. Gen. John Batiste and former Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton--both of whom served in Iraq--and former Gen. Wesley Clark. Batiste says he is a lifelong Republican who twice voted for Bush, while Clark ran for president …

The New York Post has backpedaled on a recent price hike, and is back to selling for a quarter. The move was made after newsstand sales at some high-volume outlets in Manhattan went through the floor following a doubling of the News Corp.-owned paper to 50 cents. Sales in some locations fell by as much as 20%, according to one competing executive who has been monitoring newsstands. The Post insists the price change is not related to the slumping sales. "This is a business decision and part of a well-planned strategy," says Post Editor in Chief Col Allan. "We're …

The dearth of comedy on broadcast TV may well continue for at least another year, as only a small handful of series are apt to land on fall schedules, with some nets picking up one or even none. At the same time, dramas are making a strong run as a half-dozen compete for slots at most networks. One comedy hopeful, ABC's "Sam I Am," is closer to a pickup, getting permission to start making offers to staff. Two other comedies have a shot at the Alphabet Network: "Cavemen," based on the Geico commercials, and "Miss/Guided," which has already been shot. …

ABC will air the Indianapolis 500 in high-definition television for the first time this year. Set for Sunday, May 27 at 1 p.m. on ESPN on ABC, "The start of the Indianapolis 500 is one of the most dramatic moments in sports, and providing flag-to-flag coverage of 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing' in High Definition will add to our viewers' enjoyment of the race," says John Wildhack, ESPN's executive vice president for programming. ESPN and ABC--which will also run high-def coverage of earlier qualifying races--have inked a deal with Sony for the HD technology. "We consider the Indianapolis 500 …

An ad campaign suggesting that milk may help people lose weight is about over, the Federal Trade Commission tells a doctors' group that was concerned about the claims it says are false and misleading. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, in a 2005 petition, asked the FTC to put a stop to the ads--and while it wouldn't, it says the groups behind them planned to end the campaign. "It is obvious that the industry did not have a leg to stand on," says Neal Barnard, president of the Washington-based doctors' committee that advocates a diet that generally includes no animal …