Comcast Network Advertising has hired Frank Ciancio as senior vice president, overseeing ad sales for all video-on-demand networks, such as FEARnet, exercisetv and PBS KIDS Sprout. Comcast has also promoted Jes Santoro and John B. Murphy to directors of emerging networks, and has hired Erik Muller and Mark Vesta as account executives.

Discovery Communications has elevated Eric Phillips to senior vice president of affiliate distribution. In this new role, Phillips will be responsible for all large-scale distribution negotiations with top cable and satellite partners.

Comcast Entertainment Group has tapped Kathy Mandato as senior vice president of human resources for E! Entertainment Television, The Style Network and G4. Mandato will oversee departments including employee relations, compensation and benefits, recruitment and staffing.

"Doctor Who," the British sci-fi drama, has signed on Australian pop star Kylie Minogue to guest star in its annual Christmas special. Minogue will play a major role opposite star David Tennant in the hour-long episode, "Voyage of the Damned," which will begin filming in July.

Fanatics who root through stars' trash cans might not be so crazy after all, especially when the star in question has just come off a stint in a jail cell. The web site HollywoodStarTrash.com has auctioned off a load of garbage found outside Paris Hilton's home, selling on eBay to the highest bidders. In addition to a used toothbrush, old envelopes and a Coke can each going for hundreds of dollars, an empty can of Party Animal dog food went for $305. The manufacturer of the dog food is happy, at least, saying that the 24 hours after the auction went up saw the most orders the company has ever had.

Cookie magazine has named Amy Newman associate publisher of marketing, effective immediately. Newman was previously associate publisher of marketing and creative services for Maxim magazine, and prior to that had been president of trip Entertainment.

The New Yorker has hired Ryan Lizza as its new Washington correspondent, replacing Jeffrey Goldberg, who went to The Atlantic. Lizza was previously senior editor at The New Republic.

Atlanta magazine has made a number of new hires: Teresa K. Weaver has joined as book editor, from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Steve Fennessy is now senior editor, coming from the University of Michigan; and Hector Sanchez has been named design director, previously with Chicago. Atlanta has also upped Paige Williams from articles editor to executive editor, and Eric Capossela from associate art director to senior art director.

Two-year-old weekly Time Out Chicago has reorganized its top executives, making Joel Reese editor and David Garland publisher. Reese, who had been features editor, succeeds Chad Schlegel, who is moving to the organization's New York office. Garland succeeds Steve Timble, who left last fall without explanation. Both Schlegel and Timble have been with the magazine since its founding.

The Washington Post has moved Zach Goldfarb to Fairfax County business reporter. He had previously been the "Washington Monthly" columnist.

The Bravo Group has named Jamie Kalfus chief insights officer, handling strategic and account planning through the Young & Rubicam Brands agency. Kalfus will report to COO and president Linda De Jesus-Cutler.

Yesterday a court-appointed bankruptcy trustee sold the rights to O.J. Simpson's now-canceled book "If I Did It" to the family of Ron Goldman, who was killed along with Simpson's ex-wife more than a decade ago. According to the family attorney David Cook, the Goldmans plan to rename the book "Confessions of a Double Murderer" and shop around for a market. The bankruptcy trustee will get 10 percent of the first $4 million in gross proceeds and an additional percentage of all proceeds beyond that. The controversial book tells how Simpson, who was acquitted of murder charges, would have killed the two, if he’d done it.

Author Salmon Rushdie and his wife, "Top Chef" host Padma Lakshmi, are getting divorced. Lakshmi became Rushdie's fourth wife in 2004, and they had no children. Rushdie was recently awarded a knighthood by the Queen of England, reigniting some angry sentiments lingering over the publication of his novel "The Satanic Verses" that infuriated many Muslims in 1989.

So who wields the most influence globally on the issue of global warming? According to a recent Nielsen Company internet survey across 47 countries, Al Gore is No. 1 because of his documentary "An Inconvenient Truth." No big surprise there, and neither is former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan, chosen by 15 percent of survey takers, just behind Gore's 18 percent. But tied for third with former President Bill Clinton at 14 percent was a non-political personality, Oprah Winfrey. Apparently we can expect a green “Oprah” soon.