• Nissan Returns To "Heroes"
    Nissan North America is coming back for an encore on NBC's "Heroes" as the sole advertiser during the show's season premiere next month. And the automaker will also be almost everywhere consumers encounter the show. In the premiere, Nissan is unveiling a new small SUV called the Rogue. And it will have all four minutes of commercial time during the limited-interruption episode, while the vehicle will appear in the show throughout the season. The renewal of the partnership comes after word that last season's viewers were twice as likely to recall the Nissan spots than those from other automakers. …
  • TNT Sticks With Thompson "L&O" Reruns
    Even though "Law & Order's" Fred Thompson has signaled a Sept. 6 formal announcement of his presidential campaign, TNT -- which airs seemingly continuous repeats of the show -- has no plans to pull it. Indeed, the show is set to run on the net 23 times next week. Thompson's candidacy, assuming it becomes official, could trigger an equal-time rule requiring TV stations that air appearances of federal candidates to give the same amount of time to other qualified candidates. While broadcast and cable networks are not subject to the rules, some cable nets have taken steps …
  • Playtex Launching "Girl Talk" Effort
    In its latest ad campaign, Playtex is focusing on the candid conversations women have about their chests -- and the euphemisms they use -- to help them find a well-fitting bra. "We uncovered that women of all shapes and sizes talk about their bras and breasts in funny, witty and candid ways," says Vicki Seawright, marketing director for Playtex intimate apparel. "We found that women are proud of their bodies and really confident about themselves." The new effort, themed "Girl Talk," is one of the largest the brand has ever undertaken and will run across television, print and …
  • ESPN Refocuses On Documentaries
    Even though it has an improvisational scripted comedy in the works, ESPN is largely eschewing original series for the time being and plans to put its efforts into more sports documentaries. Among the shows on tap are "Black Magic," an examination of African American athletes in the South during the 1950s and 1960s. It is slated to air in March. "There are a lot of great sports stories to tell from different angles," says executive vice president of content John Skipper. ESPN just finished the first run of an eight-part series called "The Bronx is Burning" and has …
  • Bauer To Boost Mag Prices
    Bauer Publishing, built largely on a low newsstand cover price, is about to boost the cost on most of its 11 titles as wholesalers pressure it in an effort to improve their profits. As a result, In Touch and Life & Style, which sell more than 2 million copies at $1.99, will jump to $2.99 while First for Women goes to $2.49 from $1.99 and Woman's World to $1.79 from $1.49. The company's teen and soap opera mags will also see increases, with all to take effect in late October and early November. One recent study found …
  • NFL Ads Try To Polish Soiled Image
    In an attempt to polish an image soiled by the thuggery of some of its top players, the National Football League is launching an ad campaign that focuses on some of its more positive role models. The TV efforts, from BBDO Worldwide, are borrowing the playbook, so to speak, of industries like Big Oil and the big drug companies, which have relied on the magic of Madison Avenue to redeem their public images. The idea is to spotlight the good behavior of many of its players; the NFL has its works cut out. In just the last couple …
  • MTV Orders High School Paper Reality Show
    MTV has ordered a new series called "The Paper," reality fare that follows what goes on at The Circuit, the newspaper at Cypress Bay High School in Weston, Florida. Eight episodes are on tap, and the show is expected to make its debut early next year. "With "The Paper," we dive into a rarely seen side of high school life -- showcasing the dynamic and surprisingly intense life of students working on their high school newspaper," says Dave Sirulnick, executive vice president for MTV News and Docs. "MTV has always been about reflecting the lives and interests of …
  • New Geico Campaign Rolls This Week
    A new campaign for Geico that breaks this week turns the lens on some pop culture icons, including a whole family of beloved cavemen. Themed "the real scoop," the effort involves three 30-second spots on network and cable that feature the Cabbage Patch Kids, The Beverly Hillbillies and The Flintstones. The spots are designed to mimic the look of those quasi-investigative shows that probe the seamier side of Hollywood stars. For instance, viewers discover that one of the first Cabbage Patch Kids was a child star before hitting the skids, switching to Geico to save money and then …
  • CNN Dumps Reuters
    In a cost-saving effort, CNN is ending its use of Reuters news service, according to an internal e-mail leaked to Bloomberg News. "We are making significant investments in our own newsgathering, while simultaneously reducing our reliance on agency material," reads the note, sent to employees by CNN International's Managing Director Tony Maddox. The company needs to manage "continually rising costs" of outside content, he adds, and that means "changes to some longstanding business relationships." CNN will continue to use material from Associated Press and Associated Press Television News, a spokeswoman says, declining to discuss how much Reuters had …
  • Dead Live Again On Sirius
    The Grateful Dead will live again next week on Sirius as the satellite radio operator rolls out a channel dedicated exclusively to the band. At noon on Sept. 7, the channel will go live with one of the Dead's most famed performances: live sets from 1974 at The Hollywood Bowl. Along with recorded music, The Grateful Dead Channel will also have unreleased live performances and programs hosted by founders Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann. In addition, listeners can expect to hear interviews with singer/guitarist Jerry Garcia, who died 12 years ago. …
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