Reality Bites: I hate myself for using the cute phrase, but that does seem to be what advertisers told TV networks about reality TV. And it does seem to be what TV networks figures out about reality TV.

Silence Is Not Golden: It's all over but the shouting for media consolidation and the ad business is letting it go down without a peep. I'm talking about the FCC rule changes that will allow big media companies to get bigger.

Turnover Talk: Yesterday the Nextel account turnover became complete as MindShare picked up the media planning and buying part. This followed Nextel's shift in its substantial dollars over the TBWA\Chiat\Day from Mullen.

Adstock 2004: Buy your tickets now. You know how New York City has film festivals, like the one going on now in Tribeca? I don't think it's too much of a stretch to predict that next year at exactly this time, NYC will be the site of a Media Festival.

Other People's Riffs For The Week of May 5. Rupert Goes To Washington #1: According to Reuters, News Corp. Ltd.

All FCC Issues Is Local: After ignoring the FCC media consolidation issue thus far many media outlets, especially newspapers, are rushing to make up for lost time. One of the more interesting views of the issue came yesterday in an article from North Carolina's online ESP magazine.

Rebel With A Cause: It would have been bad form for Dennis Publishing to meekly accept its banishment from Wal-Mart. The rebellious pose of Maxim and Stuff puts Dennis in the unique position of not needing the world's most morally sensitive retailer.

No Sopranos: John Miller, head of AOL, doesn't have to look too far for his exclusive content to drive traffic and subs. It's music.

Caught In A Trap: If newspapers want to retain the relevance and momentum they seem to have gained from the Iraqi conflict, they will need to do a more provocative job of covering the 2004 presidential election. Case in point: the Democratic candidate debate held Saturday.

Other People's Riffs Of The Week: Yo Jimmy. Call HR.