The general election is 14 months away, but with as many as 17 candidates running president, television and radio stations are slathering at the prospect of billions of ad dollars. And they are apt to get their payoff early, as many states have moved up their 2008 primaries. Some analysts predict TV stations alone might bring in $2 billion to $3 billion from the 2008 election cycle -- a new record -- up from $1.6 billion in 2006 and $900 million in 2004. Top beneficiaries of the electoral largesse are expected to include CBS, Hearst-Argyle Television and Meredith, …

Balihoo, a 3-year-old firm based in Boise, Idaho, is preparing to launch a new search engine aimed at helping media buyers take advantage of the Internet explosion and its expanded media offerings. "For a media buyer, it's much more difficult to stay on top of the media opportunities that exist," says company founder and CEO Peter Gombert. "And for the media owner, there needed to be an efficient way to be in front of those buyers when they are looking to spend money." He notes that until the early 1990s, three spots on prime-time TV could reach 85% …

American Life TV, a network aimed at aging baby boomers, has bought four sci-fi series from the 1960s that were produced by Irwin Allen. "Lost in Space," "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea," "The Time Tunnel" and "Land of the Giants" will run back to back on Thursday nights, starting at 8 p.m. on Sept. 6. "Voyage" was the longest-running series, aired from 1964 to 1968, while "Lost" ran for three years before being remade for the big screen in 1998 -- seven years after his death. The new lineup joins a bumper crop of other old …

Women's net WE tv is pulling out all the stops when it comes to royalty, with a raft of series and specials aimed at teaching women how to become princesses. Reality show "American Princess," which follows 20 women who try to make childhood dreams come true, has already returned. Also on tap is "Australian Princess," where a group of Aussie lasses compete for the top prize of a real British royal title. In addition, the channel will run "How to Marry a Prince" starting in February, an original special, while "Royal Vacation Homes" will explore the castles …

A new star-studded ad campaign featuring folks like Martha Stewart, Donald Trump and Jessica Simpson is Macy's latest attempt to turn itself around. The Cincinnati-based department store chain is currently readying a $100 million fall marketing effort, according to insiders, with TV spots set to roll next month. While most of the celebs involved are well-known, they also all sell name-branded items at Macy's. "Where the inspiration came from was all of the great brands -- and celebrity designers -- under our roof," says Martine Reardon, executive vice president of Macy's corporate marketing. Of course, the …

The attorneys general of 30 states have written to federal regulators to express concerns over how energy drinks that contain alcohol are being marketed. In the missive to the head of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, the group urges the agency to stop companies from making allegedly misleading health-related claims about the drinks, which usually contain caffeine and other stimulants. Specifically, the group is after Sparks and Sparks Plus, produced by Miller Brewing, Anheuser-Busch's BudExtra, and Liquid Charge and Liquid Core, form Oregon-based Charge Beverages. Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann notes that marketing campaigns for …

"Countdown With Keith Olbermann," MSNBC's hottest property, will get its first prime-time network airing when it leads into a preseason "Sunday Night Football" game this weekend. The hourlong news show will run from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. just ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles-Pittsburgh Steelers game. Olbermann, a former ESPN "SportsCenter" anchor, will be doing more sports this fall, with a supporting role on NBC's "Sunday Night Football in America" telecasts. In the meantime, ratings for his show on MSNBC have been soaring, although he still runs behind competitor -- and perennial target -- "The O'Reilly Factor" on …

While their use of verified circulation, or public place copies, has kicked up a fuss in the buying community, publishers haven't stopped using the metric to boost their numbers. And a full year after verified circulation became its own category, the number of magazines most often distributed via the channel is on the rise. A total of 230 titles distributed verified copies in the first half of the year, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, flat with the same period in 2006, but the total number of verified copies has risen to 13.6 million from 13.4 million. Among …

For its new ad campaign rolling out with the football season, Circuit City has tapped NFL Hall of Famers John Elway and Mike Ditka. In the first of a series of commercials, the pair enter one of the electronics retailer's stores searching for "the ultimate [high-definition] experience." After being told all they need is an HD TV, an HD source and installation support -- all of which can be obtained at Circuit City locations -- Ditka says he wants "a 50-inch plasma, on him," indicating Elway, who won two Super Bowls as quarterback of the Denver Broncos. …

Monster.com has put its ad business into review, according to insiders, in a move to consolidate all its global business into one network. Independent shop Brand Content in Boston is lead creative incumbent, but Via Group in Portland, Maine, handles some project work. Brand Content snared the account from Interpublic's Mullen a few years back. Monster currently is in 21 countries and is looking to expand. Domestically, it co-brands employment classifieds with newspapers including The New York Times Group, the Philadelphia InquirerAd Age and Daily News and the Akron Beacon Journal. TNS Media Intelligence pegs …