The fight is on for younger viewers for bedtime TV. As widely reported, next year Conan O'Brien will replace Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon will replace O'Brien. Leno is being displaced, despite his steady ratings, because he is not cute and young enough for the YouTube generation. "In this age of fragmented viewership, YouTube and iTunes, the young part is the most important piece of the puzzle." O'Brien is a proven youth-attractor, with the youngest average viewership among the late-night shows, at 47.3 years compared to Leno's average of 54.3. Younger viewers are more attractive than ever to …

Paid product placements of brand name drugs, such as Prozac and Viagra on popular TV shows, is under scrutiny after years of flying under the regulatory radar. A new report issued by researchers at UCLA says the FDA may need to regulate the appearance of paid drug references on TV programs, just as it imposes certain rules on drug ads. The FTC does not recognize product placements as advertisements, but the FDA should, requiring that any sponsors, official or not, be listed at the end of each program, says the UCLA report. Another option presented is …

For all the worry about the declining influence of TV newscasts, the reaction to accidental on-air f-bomb dropped by New York TV news anchor Sue Simmons this week would suggest otherwise. Seemingly within seconds, a video of the embarrassing moment hit online social networks and blogs, and Web news services picked up on the momentum. The widespread reach of the slip-up and Simmons' subsequent apology is a backdrop for examining the role of profanity in today's culture. In the end, it shows that news broadcasters still matter. "Local anchors become a piece of the community. They are the way in …

The British Broadcasting Corporation, is set to launch "BBC Knowledge" magazine--its first U.S. title--in August. Published six times per year, it will focus on history, nature and science and will be edited by Sally Palmer, the former deputy editor of BBC's Focus magazine. Publisher Andy Benham says that while the new publication will feed American interests, "the Britishness and BBC-ness of the magazine will offer consumers a fresh alternative to what is on the market." In other words, don't expect any Britney sightings. Initial print run is 85,000.

Los Angeles-based radio station KCRW launched its online Guest DJ Project Wednesday as a way to gather input from A-List artists, athletes and entertainers via digital media. The station has had occasional guest DJs before, but the new online program institutionalizes the celebrity connection and solicits conversations about music and culture for good measure. Jockeys launched Wednesday include Conan O'Brien, actor John Cusack, "Juno" director Jason Reitman and actress Saffron Burrows. As Wired blogger Scott Thill notes, "Hey, sometimes it pays to live in Los Angeles."

One way to sell the ad space on your TV programs is to help create a product that needs to be advertised. That's what "Sesame Street" seems to be doing with New Balance, the sneaker and clothing company. "Sesame Street" and New Balance are partnering for a co-branded collection of children's shoes that will debut in July. The $43 to $65 shoes will be backed by an ad campaign that includes TV spots during thrice-weekly "Sesame Street" shows. In-store signage will feature "street sign displays carrying the Sesame Street nameplate." The partnership is a win-win, says Christine Maddigan, …

Starcom Worldwide and its research and planning partner Strategic Oxygen are now using the digital channel to map engagement in cross-media campaigns. Generally, such engagement mapping research focuses on digital media, but Strategic Oxygen builds media maps from roughly 40 online and offline media sources -- from TV to radio and RSS -- and measures how people connect those components together, says Michael Gale, Strategic Oxygen chief. "We track the way people consume complex information globally." The purpose is to show advertisers how best to combine offline media with the online channel. "The more research and grounding we …