To help producers of "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" and "The Colbert Report" find fresh material, cable network Comedy Central has purchased a broadcast monitoring/search system that locates and packages HD clips from over 30 program channels. The SnapStream Server is an enterprise-class digital-video recorder with integrated software that does keyword or phrase searches for content using a mix of closed-captioning and program guide data. The system can also be programmed to send email alerts to users based on keywords or phrases, such as "Breaking News."

In a surprising move, CBS will premiere the new reality show "Undercover Boss" after Super Bowl XLIV on Feb. 7."Boss" follows top executives as they anonymously assume entry-level jobs at their company and see how their decisions affect lower-wage employees. Executives from White Castle, 7-Eleven, Hooters, Waste Management and Churchill Downs are on board for the first season. It's rare for a network to air a new show after the big game. In 1995, ABC airing the pilot of a series solo, "Extreme," after the big game. The net also confirmed the next edition of "Survivor" will be a …

High-powered smartphones that can access the Web from virtually anywhere may be the best thing that's happened to radio. Local stations are racing to create software applications (apps) and appealing talk and music programming to help them reach consumers who see their iPhones, BlackBerrys and Droids as portable entertainment devices. With the help of apps, smartphone users can listen to live broadcasts from hundreds of radio stations as well as services such as Pandora, with its 40 million registered users, that offer music tailored to the listener's taste. About a year after Clear Channel introduced its iHeartRadio app for …

What was once Lowe in the U.S. is now Deutsch. About 100 Lowe staffers moved into Deutsch's New York office, officially ending the Lowe name domestically and kicking off Deutsch's life as part of a global network. The move came two months after parent company Interpublic Group merged the two shops, making Deutsch, which also has an office in Marina del Rey, Calif., the U.S. arm of Lowe Worldwide. The merger isn't without client fallout, though conflicts between the two shops were few. Lowe's $25 million Zicam cold remedy account has gone back into review

Several networks have been approached in recent weeks about mounting an alternative to the Emmys. Sony Pictures Television prez Steve Mosko is leading the effort,about potentially partnering with the Paley Center, according to sources. A Paley rep denied it would rival the Emmys. The four major networks head into the final year of an eight-year deal in which the Emmycast has rotated among them. The TV Academy was able to negotiate an advantageous fee -- $52 million over the contract's term, an average of $6.5 million annually, but the nets expect the next pact to be less generous …

An MTV show called "Hired" will track a handful of applicants trying to get a job at a hot New York agency. Not one of the majors, like BBDO or O&M, but digital agency Huge in Brooklyn. The shop's careers page has a new listing for an associate product strategist, noting that the interviews will be filmed for a TV show. The applicants must meet with a "career coach" as part of the process. Huge wouldn't talk much about the program, but it's expected to feature agency execs putting applicants through the paces.

Discovery president and general manager John Ford is exiting Discovery as part of a network reorganization. Now, Discovery and Science Channel will be helmed by Discovery veteran Clark Bunting, with Debbie Myers continuing as Science Channel General Manager. Also as part of the reorg, Planet Green, Discovery Health and FitTV will now be combined under one business unit, led by Planet Green GM Laura Michalchyshyn. Former Discovery Health and GM Carole Tomko will now oversee Discovery Studios, reporting to recently appointed Discovery COO Peter Liguori. She'll also oversee "Curiosity: The Questions of Life," the company's five-year programming project.

The music-game category raked in $1.4 billion in revenue last year, according to Wedbush Morgan Securities, mostly by sales of "Rock Band 2" and "Guitar Hero World Tour." But in 2009, the category is predicted to make half that -- $700 million -- despite such high-profile releases this fall as "The Beatles: Rock Band," "Guitar Hero 5," "DJ Hero" and "Band Hero," not to mention "Guitar Hero: Van Halen," which is due tomorrow, Dec. 22. According to data from market analyst NPD Group, sales of these games haven't met expectations. The Beatles game, while selling a respectable 800,000 …

The 3D digital film "Avatar" was released Friday. And like all technical achievements, other mediums are following suit. Several television manufacturers -- including Phillips and LG -- are currently producing and selling 3D televisions -- though they are expensive. Will "Avatar" (and other movies like "Avatar) change the face of television? And, more importantly, does television really need to be 3D? All complaints of 3D-viewing glasses aside, we do watch movies on television, so if a movie like "Avatar" is intended to be viewed in 3D, then watching it on a 2D television will never be the same. If …

It's a retrans stalemate. Time Warner Cable will end up dropping News Corp.'s TV stations and cable networks on New Year' Eve, Pali Research analyst Rich Greenfield predicted Friday. He doesn't believe either side will budge, since both looking to set a precedent with their new deal. News Corp. is seeking a $1 per-month, per-subscriber license fee for its owned-and-operated TV stations. Time Warner is looking to create a high-profile, public example -- as News Corp.'s Fox stations, such as WNYW in New York, would lose cable carriage -- that underscores the problems of retransmission consent to lawmakers in …