As the writers' strike nears the three-month mark, advertisers are facing tough choices about where to put their billions of dollars of prime-time advertising. As the drought of new shows hits home, they have to choose between reruns and untested fare on the nets -- or perhaps look for new ways to reach their targets. Among the options are sports programming, reality shows such as "American Idol," and specialty cable. "A lot is riding on this," says Anne Elliot, vice-president at Nielsen Co. "People have a lot at stake ... I don't doubt advertisers are looking at other options." …

Cosmetics and perfume giant Estee Lauder has put its global media business into review. According to insiders, three shops are in the running: Incumbent WPP Group's Maxus, Omnicom Group's OMD (which handles the U.K., Japan and other markets) and Havas' MPG. Estimated worldwide annual ad spending is $400 million with about $150 million in U.S. media, according to per Nielsen Monitor-Plus. About 80 percent of the company's U.S. budget for brands like Clinique, Avida and Aramis is spent in print.

In a new pitch to blue-chip advertisers and ad buyers, NBC is touting its ability to beam programming and ads into places like gas stations, gyms, sports venues, hospital rooms and even commuter trains. Network execs are pushing their new options in the "out-of-home" market as they try to reach busy viewers when they're off the couch -- an attractive proposition when faced with a fragmented, DVR-obsessed audience. "This is the second-fastest-growing space after the Internet," says Beth Comstock, NBC Universal's president of Integrated Media. "There is high recall for this content, and mobile consumers are willing to engage." …

Zenith Media USA, the flagship unit of Publicis Groupe's ZenithOptimedia Group, this morning announced what it called a "major restructuring" of its media buying operations, naming long-term broadcast buying diva Peggy Green Vice Chairman, and putting in charge of a new "video investments and marketplace approach."

There at least five shops involved in a global media review by Intel, insiders say, and the prize is a sweet one: The computer chip giant's account runs in the $300 million range, with about $100 million of that in U.S. measured media. Interpublic Group's Universal McCann is defending and the other contenders are Aegis Group's Carat; Omnicom Group's OMD; Publicis Groupe's Starcom and WPP Group's Mediaedge:cia. Ark Advisors' Los Angeles office will oversee the process. Universal McCann snared the business almost three years ago as part of a full review that also awarded creative duties …

Artificial heart inventor Robert Jarvik is now the center of a congressional investigation into his role as pitchman for the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor. In well known commercials, Jarvik says that Lipitor is among the most researched medicines and that "I'm glad I take Lipitor, as a doctor and a dad." Problem is, Jarvik ended his training after medical school, never completed an internship and is not licensed to practice medicine. "I am a medical scientist not a practical physician," he says in his defense. "I think it's very upfront. I am a doctor. I have long experience …

Ahead of the Feb. 5 California primary, Democratic presidential contenders are taking to small screen in a big way. Or perhaps vice-versa. Led by a new spot for Barack Obama, they are trying to reach voters via more niche channels. In Sacramento area for example, spots are running on the Game Show Network, which rates highest in an audience survey of some likely Democratic voters there. The Hallmark Channel is home to reruns of "M*A*S*H" and "The Waltons," but it is also a favorite of a lot of viewers likely to vote in California's Feb. 5 Democratic …

According to a study by Pacific Media Associates, flat-screen HDTV prices could fall about 17% this year, building on a 14.7% decline in 2007. Last year, TV makers aggressively marketed a newer, pricier that claims to offer better picture resolution in an effort to stabilize after a sharp decline during the 2006 holidays, squeezing margins for both retailers and manufacturer. "At this time last year, manufacturers were hoping that 2007 would bring some stability to flat panel HDTV pricing," says Rosemary Abowd, a VP at Pacific Media. The firm also posits the global market for flat-screen TVs …

Mediaedge:cia is the most competitive of global agencies ranked by Paris-based research firm RECMA's "Compitches Report," the company's ninth survey of media agency network competitiveness that looks at pitches and account shifts. In it, Mediaedge got 50% more points than No. 10 ranked MindShare. And the differences between the networks, according to the study, are pretty stark: Among the four big networks, WPP got 31% of the total number of points, ahead of Publicis at 18%, Interpublic at 15% Omnicom at 14%; Aegis at 13% and Havas with 9%. Even if pitches and account moves are cyclical, …