Looking for a way to combat rising transmission fees, DirecTV is researching the possibility of offering Aereo-like services, "using antennas to tap free over-the-air transmissions, without paying stations," writes David Lieberman. “We’ve had antennas before so we’re pretty experienced on the whole subject,” CEO Mike White told analysts yesterday during an earnings report call.

"All great storytelling requires great characters"-- a key guideline for any reality show, even one done by the august Wall Street Journal. The importance of  "characters" was one of the lessons learned by the folks behind the Journal's experiment in reality TV, the online series "Startup Of The Year," according to Adrienne LaFrance. The show, which just completed its 20-week first season, was designed to be more like "Shark Tank" than "The Apprentice," and to attract younger MBA students or entrepreneurs.

Under new editor in chief Pilar Guzman, Conde Nast Traveler is changing its rule that writers pay regular rates and not tell the hotel, etc., who they are so they don't get special treatment.  "Editors at the magazine recently informed contributors that they may request media rates from travel providers while writing stories for the magazine," writes Jason Clampet."This change is the biggest signal that Guzman's revamp of the magazine will be extensive," Clampet continues.  CN Traveler has been touting its “Truth in Travel” policy since its founding in 1987.

Cable network HLN plans layoffs and programming changes, according to a company memo that comes just six weeks after Albie Hecht took over as general manager.

Reversing the usual print-to-digital direction for magazines these days, Meredith today launched a bimonthly print version of its user-generated Allrecipes.com. It's a gamble, since it faces plenty of competition on the newsstand, but "a test issue released last spring resulted in about 400,000 paid orders for the new magazine, the company said," writes Lucia Moses.

History Channel is planning to remake the hit 1977 miniseries "Roots," "one of [the] most celebrated TV programs of all time," writes Nellie Andreeva. "The network is about to start discussions with writers for the project, which will draw both on the [original] book and the original mini from a contemporary perspective."

Online video watching will eventually kill off the DVR, notes  Forrester analyst Jim Nail in this interview. Though those days aren't here yet-- “Consumers aren’t quite ready to jump in, both feet, to online," he notes -- they're definitely coming.

Conde Nast UK will launch its first digital edition built specifically for the iPhone -- Wired -- while "iPhone interactive editions for GQ, Glamour and Vanity Fair will follow in the first quarter of next year," writes Samantha Conti.

Charter Communications has reopened talks with Time Warner Cable about a possible merger by year's end, according to anonymous sources cited by Reuters reporters. Charter "is trying to devise a deal structure that would lure the No. 2 U.S. cable operator's shareholders."

Modern Farmer, a consumer pub that launched in April, "is proving adept at finding audiences in places one wouldn’t expect," writes Andrew Beaujon. Among its successes: an article on "why cow-tipping is nearly impossible has become a viral hit," and "President Clinton has jawed about farming in its pages." Its quarterly print edition and daily online report targets "people who are interested in the stories behind their food. Climate science, food policy and (oh yeah) actual agriculture are all coverage areas," writes Beaujon.