A new Social & Demographic Trends survey by the Pew Research Center shows that land­line phones and TVs aren't the necessities they once were for younger Americans. Just 42% of Americans say that TV sets are essential; just 3 in 10 believe this in the 18-29 age range. For landline phones, 62% of Americans -- down from 68% last year -- believe landline phones are something the could not do without. The study credits changes in technology, rather than the poor economy, for these shifts. In the case of TV sets, for example, more people are viewing entertainment on …

Sinclair Broadcast Group will launch The Country Network, a country music video television network located on Music Row in Nashville, on the broadcast digital tier in most of Sinclair's markets. Sinclair operates 58 stations in 35 markets covering 22% of the U.S. television households. TCN will launch in October in 28 Sinclair markets reaching 17% of the country, with the remaining Sinclair markets expected to come on board by early 2011. "Existing country music networks have all but abandoned the pure music video format," said Warren Hansen, founder and CEO of TCN, noting the CN's agrement with Sinclair is …

The Dish Network this week will begin offering a video portal called DishOnline.com, becoming the latest distributor to provide online benefits to paying subscribers. Starting on Tuesday, Dish Network customers will be able to view on its Web site for the first time shows from several cable networks, including Discovery Channel, HGTV and MTV. "People are shifting where they watch video, and I want to shift with them," Dave Shull, Dish's senior vice president for programming, said in an interview. Dish is the second-largest satellite carrier behind DirecTV, with about 14 million customers. The DishOnline.com site will show some …

Although "Glee" goes into this year's highest television honors with a leading 19 nominations, victory for "Glee" at the August 29 prime-time Emmy Awards ceremony isn't a lock. That's because Emmy voters tend to be older and more conservative than the fans that have helped make the Fox high-school comedy the most-talked about TV show of the year. Although "Glee" is a leading contender for the best comedy Emmy -- and actress Jane Lynch seen as certain to win best supporting comedy actress for her role as scheming cheer-leading coach Sue Sylvester -- the quirky show faces a tough …

According to Borrell Associates, political ad spending will reach $4.2 billion this year, double the $2.1 billion the firm estimated was spent in 2008. And Campaign Media Analysis Group, a unit of WPP's Kantar, also expects a record total, with up to $2.8 billion being spent by candidates and various special interest groups, vs. the $2.6 billion it said was spent two years ago, notes Adweek. It's also striking given that 2010 is a mid-term election, when spending usually dips below the previous presidential campaign cycle. But this year, there is close to 100 congressional elections, vs. the …

The Democratic National Committee is out Friday with a new television ad that looks forward to the November elections. And it features a cameo from former President George W. Bush. Entitled "Big Choices," the ad frames the midterm elections as a choice between the policies of President Obama and national Democrats and the policies of Bush and the GOP. It captures a view of idealistic Americana - rolling fields of wheat, windmills, a teacher in a classroom, a welder in a factory - before Bush makes a surprise appearance with a verbal gaffe. "You fool me, you can't …

Vincent Young has assumed the role and title of non-Executive Chairman of the Board of New Young Broadcasting and stepped down as CEO, according to a company memo from Chief Restructuring Officer Kevin Shea. Jim Morgan, Chief Financial Officer of the company, will be leaving in October. A year has passed since Gray Television's deal to manage seven Young Broadcasting stations kicked in, yet Gray has remained on the sidelines. Gray has been paid $2.2 million by Young in year one of a three-year deal. It's one of the more peculiar arrangements in local TV's recent history. Gray TV …

Every Day with Rachael Ray is moving into the new Readers Digest Association offices at 750 Third Ave. this weekend, but sans the editor-in-chief. Silvana Nardone, reportedly a close friend of founder, editorial director and TV chef Rachael Ray, has stepped down as the main editor after four years, reports the New York Post. The mag had a big decline in newsstand sales in the most recent six-month period, dropping 23.4% to 287,812 copies, out of total circulation of 1,709,636. Nardone began as the food editor on the magazine, but early on displaced launch editor Kitty Morgan. She …

TV executives, entertainment CEOS and Wall Street analysts have all predicted continued strong TV advertising sales in the back-half of the year, even though ad growth rates may slow down somewhat after a red-hot first half. Janney Montgomery Scott analyst Tony Wible said that scatter, or current market, ad pricing "looks to be pacing up 15%-20% on average while the upfront deals may provide an 8%-9% pricing increase base to grow off with the start of the new broadcast season." His conclusion is that financial estimates on Wall Street "could move higher if these rates are accurate and are …

Under pressure in the increasingly competitive wireless market, BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. is shopping for a mobile advertising network, say sources, reports The Wall Street Journal. The Canadian device maker has held talks with Baltimore-based mobile ad network Millennial Media about a potential acquisition. But the talks have stalled over disagreements regarding the value of Millennial, which serves advertisements on its own network of mobile Web sites. It also brokers ad sales to a group of other mobile ad networks. Encouraged by the recent sale prices fetched by rivals AdMob and Quattro Wireless, Millennial has asked …