If web traffic is any indication, there is still quite an interest in reality TV. Nielsen//NetRatings reports that traffic to CBS.com surged more than 27% during the week ending August 18 at work, as the network's popular reality shows, "Big Brother" and "Survivor," attracted office workers to the site.

Not that I like starting the weekend off on a morbid note, but a new study I found today shows that approximately 17 million US households receive at least occasional direct mail and telemarketing for the deceased.

You know it’s a slow news day when Reuters is talking about “advertainment” being “the future.” Not that I’m complaining. I’d love to see the day when people go out of their way to watch ads – online or off.

I read in a Reuters story yesterday that Peter Chernin, chief executive of News Corp. Ltd.'s Fox Entertainment Group Inc., said the media giant's U.S. business is showing strength, thanks in part to a revival in ad spending by the automotive industry.

comScore yesterday released the comScore Media Metrix U.S. Top 50 Internet properties for July 2002 and it looks like things are going well for computer hardware and travel.

Looks like people aren’t just more interested in traveling in recent weeks, they’re more interested in settling down as well. Nielsen//NetRatings late last week reported that traffic spiked at various home and real estate websites, as mortgage rates continued to drop lower in recent weeks.

Looks like we’ve almost reached the end of the Internet. At least as far as access growth is concerned. A report released earlier today found that a total of 553 million people worldwide now have Internet access from home, marking a relatively flat 4% growth rate as compared to the previous quarter.

Some of our readers were having problems linking to our Forecast 2003 site this morning. Just in case, here's the link: http://www.mediapost.com/forecast

Before I get to the newsiest item of the day, an invitation: take out your Palm Pilots and write down the date: Forecast 2003, September 26, The Yale Club, NYC. Space is very limited (and filling fast), so sign up soon! Once you sign up, I'll tell you about what kids - and their wallets - are doing online.

According to the latest data release from the OPA, fourteen top quality online content sites reported that Q2 ad sales were up by a whopping 34.2% compared to the same quarter last year.