CBS will pay more than $100 million for a 50% stake in TV Guide Network, according to a source cited by Bloomberg reporters. The deal  could give the network, co-owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., "leverage to raise fees and expand into more of the 100.4 million U.S. homes with television subscriptions," while providing CBS with an "added outlet on cable for new shows and older programs."

Bloomberg Businessweekexpanded non-postal delivery by partnering with Gannett to have its magazines delivered  in 15 markets "via Gannett’s newspaper-delivery apparatus" by July, writes Poynter's Andrew Beaujon. "Alternate delivery systems will become more important for many weekly magazines and community newspapers if the  United States Postal Service goes through with its proposal to eliminate Saturday delivery," according to Beaujon. However, Congress just passed legislation that "blocks the U.S. Postal Service’s plan to halt Saturday delivery of periodicals, first-class and standard mail," writes Caysey Welton.

Esquire magazine just rolled out a free iPhone and iPad app that allows readers to to "have an interactive, 'conversation-style' experience with a handful of Esquire personalities, including fashion director Nick Sullivan, drinks correspondent David Wondrich and Cutler Salons owner Rodney Cutler," writes Lauren Indvik. The app "combines a guided Q&A format with speech recognition technology to simulate conversation via pre-recorded responses."

Ads for the 67 games of the 2013 NCAA basketball tourney "are virtually sold out across CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV," with "more than 95 percent of the available in-game inventory... claimed by marketers," according to "insiders" cited by Anthony Crupi. Rates are up by as much as 10%, with a 30-second spot in the Final Four games going for as much as $1.6 million, compared to last year's $1.45 million.

"The idea of an internet-only HBO subscription doesn't seem to be going away" -- but is probably unlikely to happen, writes Jacob Kastrenakes. HBO CEO Richard Plepler publicly speculated on just such a plan, even going into "specifics on prices and partners. Still, such a service is unlikely since "the cable, satellite, and telco providers that [HBO] works with almost certainly would not [approve]," writes Kastrenakes. "Not only would they be unlikely to promote and support such a package, they could discontinue offering HBO altogether, or even cease carrying other, less valuable Time Warner properties as well..."

Why is New York Times public editor Margaret Sullivan possibly "the most beloved person in media right now," as Mediabistro's Chris O'Shea writes? This post by Greg Mitchell features many quotes by assorted media types praising Sullivan's active role as ombusdman at a time when, for example, the Washington Post just eliminated that job.  Sample quote from a journalistic peer: “Margaret Sullivan has revolutionized the public editor position in the best possible way... Rather than dwell on trite ombudsman issues of interest only to media types, she has used her position to bravely confront the central questions facing …

The New York City subway system is developing a beta network of 90 touch-screen kiosks to appear at subway stops around town this year, featuring "all sorts of content, like delays, outages, and, of course, ads," writes Mark Wilson. Digital-out-of-home advertisers looking for a new venue, take note!

News Corp.'s Fox Sports has closed a deal to carry the new Big East basketball conference for 12 years for an undisclosed sum -- "the first major sports rights agreement it has entered since announcing its new national cable channel to compete with ESPN," writes Liana Baker. Previously Fox Sports obtained "rights to college football and basketball from other athletic conferences, Major League baseball games, Nascar, Ultimate Fighting Championship and soccer."

It seems fairly definite that "The Tonight Show" will get a new host -- Jimmy Fallon -- and will move from Los Angeles back to New York City by "fall 2014 at the latest," according to senior NBC executives cited by Bill Carter. Here's how certain this change is, according to one anonymous exec: “There is no way on earth that this is not going to happen.” Convinced? All the network will say officially is that "it's building a new state-of-the-art studio for Mr. Fallon."

As it ramps up for its July launch, the deep-pocketed Al Jazeera America "needs a star," writes David Freedlander. "We need to find people who are known, but we want them to be known for their journalism, not for their celebrity, not for their past failure, not for their messy divorce,” Bob Wheelock, executive producer for the Americas for Al Jazeera English, tells Freedlander. While it is fielding offers for 170 open positions,  and reportedly has received resumes from some familiar names interested in what Wheelock says will be "long-form, deeply reported TV journalism," it's still unclear "whether …