When NBC journalist Andrea Mitchell covers the current financial crisis, there is a large elephant in the room -- her husband, former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan. The credit meltdown is an extreme set of circumstances, and Greenspan, who was Fed chief for 19 years "is, to some extent, culpable in the crisis we're facing," writes the CJR. "It's one thing for Mitchell to report the facts of this credit crisis, but venturing into commentary is a precarious trek. So is reporting on the Fed itself," as Mitchell did this week. NBC's spokeswoman responds: "We make decisions about …

Reality TV giant Endemol is launching a major global sports programming and channels division. Competing against IMG and independent sports producers, Endemol Sports aims to partner with broadcasters, sports federations, advertisers and brands. Known for its international "Big Brother" brand, the media company hopes to work with sports rights owners to launch a range of television channels. Using its network of production businesses in more than 25 countries, Endemol will also generate traditional sports coverage, as well as entertainment, interactive and multimedia programming.

Clear Channel Outdoor has proposed selling advertising space on California's nearly 700 emergency roadside message boards in a plan backed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The boards are used for "Amber Alerts," which give information on missing children, as well as for traffic delay messages. The state estimates that ad space could bring in tens of millions a year. Some of the new income would be used to upgrade the emergency messages, including pictures and color-coding. But opponents say California doesn't need more roadside visual pollution and question how effective the message boards will be if they're used for …

Sometimes it is pretty easy to read between the lines. In a written statement KFC spokesman Rick Maynard says, "Our media department has been in touch with CW regarding "90210," and we are closely monitoring its content going forward to determine if additional action is required on our part, including potentially pulling our advertising from the program." KFC has spent about $5.4 million on the CW so far this year, per TNS. ,br> According to several media buyers, advertisers have been examining programs thoroughly this fall, with several "more conservative" marketers asking to monitor programs on an …

TNT has teamed with automaker Lincoln and Mandalay Television for a crime-thriller microseries "RPM," starring Jonathan Schaech. "RPM" will air as 20 two-minute episodes within the commercial breaks of four prime-time episodes of "Law & Order" from Oct. 21-29. The series is about a husband and father of two trying unsuccessfully to move past his former career as a homicide detective. He drives a Lincoln while tracking down a key suspect. Mandalay executive producer Elizabeth Stephen brought the project to TNT and Lincoln. It marks the first time a TNT microseries has been developed so closely with …

WPP Group's Mindshare was restructured in April; five months later, it is implementing a global rebranding effort to support its new identity. For starters, about a dozen of the agency's North American senior executives are giving up their formal job titles. "Relinquishing our titles signifies the breakdown of silos and a new spirit of openness and equanimity throughout the upper ranks of our agency," says Mindshare executive Scott Neslund, formerly CEO. "This new identity heralds our next stage of growth as a new model agency, one that focuses on partnerships, consumer exchanges and collaborations." The updated brand …

The Oscar producers apparently hope to avoid the fate of this year's Emmys broadcast, which earned the lowest rating of any Emmy Award show in the last 18 years. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is hiring Bill Condon, writer/director of "Dream Girls," to executive-produce next year's Oscars telecast. Awards shows in general have lost their luster over the past few years. Critics of the Emmys, including outspoken talk-show host Craig Ferguson, have railed against producers for wasting time on an opening featuring five reality-show hosts, while limiting stage time for comedy legend Don Rickles.