Some people might have seen this coming a mile away. Because of content concerns, Microsoft has yanked its sponsorship from Fox's upcoming Seth MacFarlane comedy/variety special. "Family Guy Presents: Seth and Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show" on Nov. 8 was supposed to be part of a marketing partnership Microsoft sealed with several News Corp. properties to promote Windows 7. The "Almost Live Comedy Show" was set to run commercial-free, with Microsoft marketing messages built into the special. Initially Microsoft ad exec Gayle Troberman said she wasn't concerned about how Windows 7 might be treated on the show. …

Time Warner's CNN is placing fourth among cable news networks in prime-time audience ratings in October, per Nielsen and MSNBC. CNN averaged 202,000 viewers between the ages of 25-54. Fox News finished first with 689,000 viewers in that age group; MSNBC came in second with 250,000; and CNN's sister network, HLN, averaged 221,000.

Newspapers face a genuine crisis, but the nature of this crisis is misunderstood. Until recently, many newspapers had profit margins exceeding 30%. By 2008, the industry's average margin had fallen to the mid-teens. The speed and magnitude of this decline have resulted in wrenching changes in the way these historically stable businesses must operate. "But the continuing drama shouldn't distract from real earnings power," writes Jonathan Knee, director of the Media Program at Columbia University. "Many newspapers still have almost double the profitability of other media sectors, such as movies, music and books." With daily circulation under 100,000, …

The Christian Science Monitor, a church-supported publication with a small but loyal circulation base and minimal reliance on advertising has what many large mainstream papers envy. Seven months after discontinuing its print edition, the Monitor is growing and thriving. Page views, totaling 8.5 million, are up about 20% from April to October. Monthly unique visits have increased by an even higher percentage. The money saved on printing, paper, distribution and a reduced staff balances the lower circulation revenue. Ad revenue was soft earlier this year, but has started to trend up. The competitive landscape has helped as …

News organizations with shrinking budgets are forming an increasingly symbiotic relationship with a new wave of independent online news sites. Many of the sites are staffed by pink-slipped print reporters. The best example is CBS News, which formalized a partnership with GlobalPost, which boasts 70 correspondents in more than 50 countries. CBS's "60 Minutes," has an ongoing partnership with ProPublica, the site run by Paul Steiger and Stephen Engelberg, from The Wall Street Journal and The Oregonian, respectively. PBS' Frontline is working on a project with ProPublica about post-Katrina corruption. To some observers it looks like Western …

Time Inc., is preparing a new round of job cuts, say insiders. The reductions may take place in the next few weeks and will be smaller than previous job cuts. Time Inc. eliminated 600 jobs, then 6% of the workforce, in November 2008. As part of the cost reductions, Fortune magazine will come out 18 times annually starting next year, instead of 25, say magazine executives. The publisher will spend more money on each issue, including on heavier paper and covers with a richer matte finish. Operating income at Time Inc. dropped 53% in the second quarter …

When, if ever, are people are going to ditch paper and read everything on some sort of digital device? Probably not in 2010, but the audience for e-readers will grow significantly in coming years. Most of those inside the publishing world see e-readers as a promising alternative distribution channel, which may actually bring publishers some needed revenue. "There is an optimism among publishers, but nobody is saying this is going to save the industry," says Roger Fidler, researcher at the University of Missouri. Fidler believes that two powerful, institutional forces could spur adoption in coming years. "I wouldn't be …

ABC's TV station group is close to signing its first large-market syndication deal for its Live Well HD channel. In development for two years, Living Well runs as a multicast channel in ABC's 10 markets and is also a Web site. Content revolves around home, health and lifestyle programming, all of it produced in high-def. ABC officials claim Live Well HD is a money-making proposition and in January will expand its content from three hours to six. Unlike most multicast offerings, which re-purpose out-of-date programming or re-broadcast the prior day's newscasts or sports, Live Well HD's programming is all …

At CBS it's the same old, same old. With multiple sitcoms, police procedurals and healthy ratings it's the very definition of Old Media. "They've proven anyone wrong who thought that no matter what a network did, their audiences would continue to erode," says Andrew Donchin, an executive at Carat North America. Now the interesting part: While CBS attracts older viewers than other networks (its average age is 55) its ability to attract large audiences is prompting advertisers, long obsessed with young viewers, to give the network a second look. CBS' large audiences have helped it to charge an additional …

USA Network has signed Ford and Ketel One Vodka as sponsors for its new original series, "White Collar." The series debuts tonight with limited commercial interruption, thanks in large part to Ford's sponsorship deal. The deal allows Ford to kick start the premiere episode with exclusive ownership of the first 60-second commercial pod. Also in the show, FBI agent Peter Burke will drive a new Taurus throughout the first season. Beginning with episode four on Nov. 13, Ford will also sponsor a short "character profile" of the lawman -- an interstitial that shares info on Burke's back story. Ketel …