• by John Gaffney , July 9, 2003

Cheeseburger And A Text Message, Please: McDonald's announced yesterday that it will add WiFi capabilities in several big market restaurants. That's not the only reason why I think wireless usage, and in its wake wireless advertising, is starting to get some traction. First of all, this market is being led by teens. Teens are using cell phones for gaming, entertainment and communication. And when you get a demographic group immersed in a media like this at a young age, it bodes well for future use. Second, exposure at high-profile out-of-home locations like Starbucks, Borders and now McDonald's will give WiFi and its expanded applications a good foundation. Advertising, especially from the entertainment companies, such as Paramount with its Lara Croft: Tomb Raider promotion, is starting to follow consistently.

Do The Trite Thing: Does anybody really believe that Spike Lee had some kind of constitutionally-oriented spiritual awakening that caused him to settle with Viacom? That's what his statement about the case seems to indicate. Viacom will now go full-speed ahead with its Spike rebranding. As I opined yesterday, I think that is too much, too soon for a cable consumer to take in. I think they should wait, reposition TNN as a channel for men, and then come back with Spike TV in September. But you have to believe there was a huge sigh of relief at Viacom yesterday.

At The Buzzer: I have an idea to pump up the Osbourne ratings. Focus on Ozzy. Put it on Spike TV.