MyNetworkTV unveiled its latest iteration, as a syndication-based programming service, in the fall, and the new prime-time model is attracting a decent audience, up 28% compared to a year ago. The News Corp.-owned network's audiences remain small; season-to-date, it's averaging 2.3 million total viewers, but that's up substantially over last year's 1.8 million. MyTV executives are renewing affiliate contracts with stations, which seem happy with the new model. MyNetworkTV began in January 2006, creating a network to serve UPN affiliates who were left hanging when the network combined WB, UPN into the CW.

The non-profit Freedom Forum foundation and its signature project, the Newseum in Washington, D.C., paid $1.4 million in bonuses to its top employees in 2008 -- a year when the foundation's endowment suffered multimillion-dollar losses, and the museum began a series of layoffs that extended through last year, newly released public documents show. The bonuses included $375,000 to Freedom Forum Chairman and CEO Charles Overby, bringing his total 2008 pay to $991,044 in compensation and expenses, the documents show. The museum's then-president, Peter Prichard, got a $225,000 bonus; his total pay and expenses for the year were $665,927, the …

She may be off "Idol," but Simon Cowell is talking to former "American Idol" co-star Paula Abdul and his current "X Factor" U.K. co-star Cheryl Cole for judging positions on the show, which launches on Fox in fall 2011. One reason may be his comfort zone with them. Also, judges on "X Factor" are crucial to the success of the show. They mentor singers and effectively becomes part of the competition rather than grader from the sidelines.

CBS Films is sticking with an old formula intact: four to six films a year, anchored by stars and costing up to $50 million apiece. "There's an area in the middle where I want to live," said Amy Baer, president of CBS Films. Among the movies it has coming up are "The Back-Up Plan," a romantic comedy starring Jennifer Lopez, which arrives on April 16; work has started on "Faster," a co-production with Sony, starring Dwayne Johnson and Billy Bob Thornton. Other projects include a feature adaptation of the classic TV western "Gunsmoke." The philosophy -- grown-up dramas -- …

BIA/Kelsey today released its top five trends and industry developments to watch in 2010 in interactive local media, mobile local media, broadcast, global Yellow Pages and vertical directories and classifieds. They have also advised their clients to expect traffic acquisition costs to start to rise. Predictions were drawn from analysis of more than 36 anticipated developments the firm provided to clients. The predictions include: localism key to broadcasters; a return of a competitive search market; geo-targeting, monetizing mobile and new ad networks.

Coca-Cola and Unilever are shifting their digital focus away from traditional campaign sites to social media platforms, such as Facebook and YouTube. Traditional campaign sites are not going away, but both said the long-term future lies with social media on platforms populated by their target consumers. Coca-Cola will position its official Facebook and YouTube pages as the lead online channels for upcoming international activity for its Coke Zero and Fanta brands. Julie Jeancolas, digital board director at media agency Carat, said, "It's not always cost-effective to produce a site every time you launch a campaign. What we tell clients …

Despite claims that it will lose $200 million on the Vancouver Games, NBC has seen its ad sales pick up just enough to increase its revenue goals for the event. NBC has sold 92% of its newly revised sales goal, which is north of $650 million for national sales, which doesn't count local O&O sales. But NBC is paying a much larger rights fee for the Vancouver Games -- $820 million. Some partners that had advertised with the network in the past - like General Motors and Bank of America - elected not to renew their deals. NBC expects …

Federal officials are planning the first nationwide test of the broadcast Emergency Alert System. FCC rules now provide for voluntary testing at the state and the local level, but not nationally. The FCC has issued a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to change the rules in order to conduct national testing at least once a year. The FCC additionally proposes requiring more detailed documentation from participating TV, radio and cable operations. The agency is also asking for feedback on the equipment used to retransmit EAS codes, which differ depending on the manufacturer.The United States is divided into 550 …

Starting this week, USA will no longer air any of its original dramas on Friday nights but will run new shows at 10 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Wednesday, nights that had previously been reserved for reruns. The season premiere of "White Collar" on Tuesday starts the new schedule. "Psych" will start on Wednesdays on Jan. 27. USA will be trading away a signature Friday night where shows like "Monk" thrived for several years, in favor of two nights when more people generally are watching television. Previously, when broadcast nets decided Fridays were less important, USA started offering its …

The Saudi billionaire whose investment firm is one of the biggest stakeholders in Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. wants to expand his alliance with the media giant. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a nephew of the Saudi king is already the second-largest stakeholder in News Corp., with 5.7 percent of the shares of the media company. Media reports have indicated that News Corp, parent to Fox News and Dow Jones & Co., among others, may be thinking of buying a stake in Alwaleed's Rotana Media Group, which includes a number of satellite channels that air in the Middle East.