About 22% of respondents said they downgraded or eliminated their cable TV service, and another 21% considered it over that time, Harris Interactive found. The online poll of 3,084 U.S. adults age 18 and older was conducted Oct. 11-18. The percentage of U.S. consumers who say they've cut back or eliminated cable hasn't changed in the last year, according to Harris. In February 2010, 22% of respondents affirmed cable cutbacks, while 21% did in October 2009. On the most recent survey, 28% of consumers 34 to 45 (Gen Xers) said they canceled or cut cable, followed by the 46-64 …

NBC, CBS, and ABC had already said no to Google TV, and today Fox Broadcasting made it unanimous. News Corp.-owned Fox became the last of the broadcast networks to block full episodes of its shows from appearing on the software platform that enables users to view Web content and video on their home TV. The feeling at Fox was that Google's "footprint was too small," meaning that Google TV had yet to develop a large enough user base to make it worthwhile for the broadcaster. Fox also blocks Google TV competitor, Boxee, which also has struggled to develop …

Fox has renewed The Simpsons for a 23rd season of animated adventures, taking it through its landmark 500th episode (specifically, it takes the show up to episode 515). Executive producer Al Jean, released this statement: "Like many 22-year-olds, The Simpsons is extremely happy remaining at home, on Fox, and hopes it doesn't have to go out into the real world for many years to come." Factoring in DVR usage, the show is drawing around 8.5 million viewers overall and averages a 3.9 rating in adults 18 to 49, ranking it among Fox's biggest hits. As for the show's …

"Had I known that all this would happen, I would have done this years ago!" MSNBC star Keith Olbermann said Tuesday night as he returned to the cable news network after having been suspended for two days over political contributions he made during this year's election. Olbermann's first show back attracted 1.5 million viewers -- about 50 percent more than usually come to his prime-time show. And after that, his lead-out, Rachel Maddow, snagged more than 1.3 million viewers -- a nice spike relative to her October average of 953,000. As if that weren't enough, Lawrence O'Donnell's MSNBC …

A new survey from The Diffusion Group finds that people who own iPads or are planning to purchase one in the new few months are significantly more likely than average adult broadband users to either downgrade or cancel their pay TV services. Nearly one third (33.9%) of iPad owners were to varying degrees likely to cancel their pay TV service in the next six months and about 12.9% of iPad owners were "highly likely" to cut the cord. In contrast, about 6.4% of people planning to buy iPads--a group TDG calls "the Intenders--and only 4.3% of all …

Joel I. Klein, who presided over a radical reorganization of the New York City school system and drew praise and criticism resigned as chancellor after eight years in the job. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg appointed Cathleen P. Black, the chairwoman of Hearst Magazines, as Klein's successor. Black will be the first woman to head the nation's largest school system, with a $23 billion budget, 135,000 employees and 1 million students. The decision was also noteworthy for the fact that Black has no educational background, in keeping with Bloomberg's preference for executives from the business world. Because of that, she …

Bristol Palin survived another elimination round on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" as fans including Tea Party supporters mustered enough votes to overcome low scores from the talent show's judges. During the taping of the Nov. 8 show, the 20-year-old Palin wore a Tea Party T-shirt while rehearsing. Palin, the daughter of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, will return for the ninth week after her tango with partner Mark Ballas tied for the judges' worst score. "There's a strong popular movement behind Sarah Palin at the moment, and she's receiving a lot of support from the Tea Party," …

Disney CEO Bob Iger was joined by Mickey Mouse and Mayor Bloomberg to cut the ribbon on Disney's new flagship store. The 22,000 square-foot Times Square storefront aims to take Disney's retail stores in a new high-tech direction, from the mobile checkouts to a 65-foot high animated billboard. Disney' isn't just trying to sell stuffed animals to the 365,000 daily passersby; it's trying to promote the Mouse House's other businesses as well - from the theme parks to the musicals like "Lion King," playing next door. Make the most of strong brands like "Cars," "Princesses" and now Marvel …

Just about a year to the day that he left CNN, Lou Dobbs is returning to cable news, this time as host of his own show on News Corp.'s Fox Business Network. It's the latest high-profile hire for the cable network, which launched a little over three years ago and is in 57 million homes. Although that is far fewer homes than its chief rival, CNBC, Fox Business last week managed to beat CNBC on election night, both in viewers and the key adults 25-54 demographic. Dobbs' show will premiere in early 2011. He will also appear on other …

Another Internet TV set-top box is launching in a field where many have tried and failed. Privately held Boxee's Boxee Box, powered by an Intel processor and manufactured by D-Link, will be available through Amazon.com and at retail for $199. Boxee enters a field where Google and Apple have recently introduced new products and services. Boxee will let users view photos, apps, files, and TV shows and movies off the Internet on their TV sets. It's slated to be available at Best Buy. Boxee already streams video via its Web site, and claims 1.4 million users. It's garnered …