Overnights
ABC stomps with BCS championship
Averages a 9.5 in adults 18-49 and 28.5 million total viewers, according to early numbers, as Alabama beats Texas 37-21

Television
Now the big question: Whither 'Leno?'
The 10 p.m. weeknight show is set for the axe, by all accounts. But when and how? None of NBC's options look very appetizing.

Research
Fact is, far fewer see ads in DVR'd shows
MPG study: Just 10 percent are seen by 18-49 viewers, well below industry estimates. Most are still watched during live viewing.

TV Reviews
'Border Wars,' okay, we surrender
We can admire the work of the folks who patrol the U.S.-Mexico border, but this National Geographic Channel series is ho-hum

Rachel speaks!
Rachel, my friend has the buyout blues
She has money in the bank but isn't looking real hard for her next job, and the friend is worried for her. Rachel opines.

Here & there
The word: ABC closing on Koppel return
Other shorts: Experian: Even non-football fans watch Super Bowl - Programming notes: Will 'Lost' lose its debut date? - On the NYT menu: Gastrointestinal distress

TV This Week
Best tube bets this weekend
Friday: 'Shark Tank' premiere on ABC; Saturday: wild card NFL games on NBC; Sunday: 'Big Love' debut on HBO

Overnights
Fox roars to a big Sunday night win
Averages an 8.0 in 18-49s, boosted by overtime play in high-scoring Cardinals-Packers game and 'Simpsons' 20th year special

Television
NBC axes 'Jay Leno Show' at 10 p.m.
Bowing to pressure from affiliates over low ratings, network will move chatter back to late night. Big question: Where's Conan?

Television
Media folks on Leno fiasco: Fire Zucker
Media Life poll respondents skewer the NBC chief for shaking up the late-night lineup without a backup plan, then pulling the plug

Sports TV
ABC sees big kick for BCS title game
Averages 30.8 million total viewers, up 15 percent from last year's game on Fox and the most-watched show on TV since the 2009 Oscars

TV Reviews
'Blue Mountain State,' flunks the course
Spike's first attempt at a sitcom tramps familiar ground of gross-out college humor but brings nothing original to the genre

Here & there
NBC: We're losing money on the Olympics
Other shorts: Programming notes: SOTU won't boot 'Lost' - Friday overnights: 'Shark' bites season high for ABC - Saturday overnights: NBC romps with wild card

TV This Week
For Fox's 'Fringe,' a booster shot
A special 'lost' episode will air behind 'House,' which should give the second-year show a hefty lift in ratings. It could use it.

Overnights
ABC stomps with BCS championship
Averages a 9.5 in adults 18-49 and 28.5 million total viewers, according to early numbers, as Alabama beats Texas 37-21

Television
Conan O'Brien to NBC: I'm not moving
'Tonight' host rejects network plan to move show back to make room for Jay Leno show at 11:35, leaving network brass in a pickle

Overnights
CBS wins Monday over stiff competition
Averages a 4.2 in 18-49s, led by 'Big Bang,' the night's top show with a 5.7. Fox is second with a 3.7. ABC's 'Bachelor' gains.

Sports TV
What a game: Cardinals versus Packers
Highest-rated wild card game since 1998 with a 21.8 overnight household rating, kicking off NFL playoffs in fine form

Alternative media
End to tempest over Obama billboard
Coatmaker agrees to take down ad in Times Square featuring the president after generating oodles of free media coverage

TV Reviews
'Solving History With Olly Steeds,' fun
Discovery series purports to probe history's puzzles. It's really about following after and being amused by its British host.

Television
Media buyers' primer on 'American Idol'
A look at ratings through the years and other must-know facts about the top show on TV and most successful reality show ever

Television
On 'American Idol's' new judge lineup
Paula Abdul's out and Ellen DeGeneres is in. What's it mean? Talking with 'Idol' trackers Greg Barber and Dave Della Terza.

Here & there
Fox to NBC: We'll take Conan off your hands
Other shorts: TNS: Price of Super Bowl ad drops for CBS - Programming notes: Swan song for 'Hannah Montana' - Pew: Newspapers are the bomb with local news - Arbitron's Skarzynski resigns after brief tenure

Overnights
Huge debut for Fox's 'American Idol'
Averages an 11.7 in 18-49s, even with last year, which is a good sign, while drawing 29.8 million viewers and growing among 18-34s

Magazines
Magazine publishers take a bath in 2009
Ad pages tumble 25.6 percent for the year, with fourth quarter down 21.6 percent. But there are signs 2010 will be a better year.

Television
Conan O'Brien to NBC: I'm not moving
'Tonight' host rejects network plan to move show back to make room for Jay Leno show at 11:35, leaving network brass in a pickle

Broadcast recap
Fox rises to No. 1, with plans to stay
Takes first full week of 2010 in adults 18-49, and with '24' and 'American Idol' back, it's in for a long streak of wins (charts)

Cable recap
Yell and scream, 'Jersey Shore' is a hit
MTV reality series sees a surge in ratings, rising to No. 2 in 18-34s, fueled in large part by Italian-American protests (charts)

TV Reviews
'Carnie Wilson: Unstapled,' dull, too
GSN series doesn't reveal anything new about the former pop star, should we care, leaving us with typical celebreality fare

Here & there
For Jay and Conan, a wealth of new material
Other shorts: Shocker: Nightly news viewership soars - Radio gaga: Skarzynski lied about PPM visit - Programming notes: ABC bankrolls 'Bachelor Pad' - Study: Beware, too much TV could kill you

TV This Week
For ABC's 'Middle,' the real test comes
After seeing a rise in ratings, it now faces Fox's 'American Idol,' and if history is any indicator it's in for a tumble

Overnights
CBS wins Monday over stiff competition
Averages a 4.2 in 18-49s, led by 'Big Bang,' the night's top show with a 5.7. Fox is second with a 3.7. ABC's 'Bachelor' gains.

Overnights
Hiccup for Fox's hit 'American Idol'
Second night of premiere averages a 10.1 in 18-49s, down 14 percent from night one but still destroys the competition

Television
The latest: Leno may also say no to NBC
Comedian reportedly will reject move to 11:35, following O'Brien's lead. Meanwhile the two hosts trade jabs on their shows.

Magazines
Some titles are faring well, despite it all
They're doing markedly better than their competitors in ad pages, and it speaks to the ongoing shakeout in magazines (charts)

Television
A suddenly very popular 'Tonight Show'
Ratings soar after Conan O'Brien tells NBC no, he won't move the show back a half hour to make room for Leno. Tops Letterman.

Radio
What 2010 holds for radio as a medium
Tops on the list: The struggle over PPMs and growing clout of internet radio. Talking with Nancy Haynes of Collins, Haynes & Lully.

TV Reviews
'Human Target,' comic book heroics
New Fox series bubbles over with manly derring-do, as befits a character from DC Comics, but it's a mismatch paired with 'Idol'

Here & there
Study: Newscasts lose $22M with 'Leno'
Other shorts: NFL scores best viewership in two decades - Wink, wink: Palin's FNC debut draws 3.95 million - Harris: 77 percent won't pay for e-newspapers

TV This Week
For 'Project Runway,' the pace quickens
Lifetime show returns after just six weeks from a delayed and ultimately disappointing season six. It's got something to prove.

Overnights
Fox rides high in wake of 'Idol' debut
Veteran drama 'Bones' hits season-high 3.3 in 18-49s, with lead-out 'Fringe' up 13 percent following special Monday episode

Sports TV
NBC Olympics coverage: 835 hours
Vancouver Winter Games will receive twice the coverage of four years ago, with events airing across five networks and online

Television
And post-Olympics, return of Seinfeld
NBC rejiggers schedule, slotting shows at 10 p.m. to replace axed 'Jay Leno,' including a new reality series produced by the comic

TV Reviews
'Life Unexpected,' lots of the expected
This new CW drama vigorously mines all the cliches of family life, but it succeeds by virtue of a strong cast and good writing

Here & there
The word: Leno sews up 'Tonight' return
Other shorts: Extra, extra: E&P revived with a new editor - Programming notes: CBS picks up 'Wife' and 'NCIS: LA' - Most of ABC's NASCAR coverage zooms to ESPN - Viewers: CBS is must-keep network

Alternative media
'Let's see, eggs, bread, milk, an Alfa . . .'
How do you make the point that your car is inexpensive? You put it on display sticking out of a shopping cart (a full-size model).

Rachel speaks!
Rachel, it's my workmate's kids
She talks about them all the time and it drives me nuts, complains the writer. Rachel: Take her to lunch and lay it out, gently.

TV This Week
Best tube bets this weekend
Friday: More 'Jay' jabbing at/on NBC; Saturday: NFL playoff games on Fox and CBS; Sunday: Golden Globe Awards on NBC

Overnights
Fox's '24' takes a dip on night two
Returning spooker averages a 3.4 in 18-49s, off 11 percent from Sunday's season premiere. Network finishes third for the night.

Television
O'Brien deal: $50 million, and hush up
Exiting 'Tonight' host is reportedly close to signing as NBC struggles to cap the fallout from badly bungled 10 p.m. Leno show

Here & there
The word: NY Times will erect a pay wall
Other shorts: Sunday's NFL games deliver big ratings kick - Friday overnights: CBS wins dramatically - Saturday overnights: NFL lifts CBS to victory - White House: SOTU address will air next week

Television
Showtime challenges HBO for Globes
Wins three awards, all in best actor categories, to HBO's four. Winning shows: 'Dexter' and 'United States of Tara' (winners list)

Overnights
Globes take shine off the competition
'24' premiere slips 12 percent from last year, to a 3.8 in adults 18-49, while 'Housewives' hits a series low. Awards show climbs 10 percent.

Point of view
In defense of radio and its effectiveness
The medium gets a bum rap from the media and others, much of it based on misinformation. It's time to set the record straight.

TV This Week
For USA, a bold move beyond Fridays
Network begins slotting shows on other nights, with 'White Collar' moving to Tuesdays, in a direct challenge to broadcast shows

Overnights
Fox rides high in wake of 'Idol' debut
Veteran drama 'Bones' hits season-high 3.3 in 18-49s, with lead-out 'Fringe' up 13 percent following special Monday episode

Overnights
No surprise, Fox overpowers with 'Idol'
Averages a 9.9 in 18-49s for its third episode, beating the other four networks combined and up 9 percent over last year

Television
O'Brien and NBC inch closer to deal
Holding things up: Spat over exit packages for O'Brien's staff, including sidekick Andy Richter. Network calls delay 'nothing more than a PR ploy.'

Broadcast recap
Surprise leader in DVRed shows: CBS
Has 10 of top 25 time-shifted shows on broadcast, never mind its reputation as the network for tech-challenged oldsters (charts)

TV Reviews
'Food Tech,' not much to chew on
History series about how foods are made skirts issues folks care most about, notably their health and environmental effects

Cable recap
Big test: Do web debuts really work?
Syfy has been pushing the pilot of 'Caprica' online, hoping to hook fans into returning once the series debuts on TV this Friday

Alternative media
What 2010 holds for alternative media
Expect to see ad spending pick up with the economy and more use of the new technologies. Talking with Streetblimp's Nic Denyer.

Here & there
Judge upholds Letterman blackmail case
Other shorts: Outsell: Pay walls won't solve newspapers' $ woes - Study: Media usage tied to poor grades for kids - Record ratings for MNTV's 'Smackdown'

TV This Week
'Being Erica,' a most unlikely story
It's a soap from Canada, airing on ABC's SoapNet, and yet it's winning the attention of critics. (Our story thus far . . .)

People
Neil Patrick Harris may appear on 'Glee' 
The 'How I Met Your Mother' actor is reportedly in talks
to appear in a May sweeps episode Stefan Poulos becomes ECD at Pappas Group 
Joseph Kerschbaum, John Lee and Mae Flint join Clix Marketing 
Andrew Zein becomes SVP of creative at WB International TV Distribution 
John Dimling and Stephen Morris join Innerscope Research 
Doug Manoni and Rich Antoneck rise at SourceMedia 
Carrie Hamerslag becomes regional sales manager at Tremor Media 
Gresham Striegel becomes executive producer at MSNBC 
Sebastian Rotella becomes a senior reporter at ProPublica 
Regina O'Brien rises to SVP of marketing at Golf Channel 
Mitch Goldstein becomes on-air GM at QVC

Overnights
'Idol' tide fails to lift 'Human Target'
Lead-out drama averages a 3.4 in 18-49s, holding just 35 percent of Fox show's huge audience, while CBS and ABC shows soar

Cable
Move nabs 'White Collar' more viewers
USA show hits a series-high 2.1 million adults 18-49 in its new Tuesday timeslot, after moving from Friday behind defunct 'Monk'

Newspapers
NY Times: Yes, we are doing the paywall
Paper confirms it will begin charging frequent users at the start of 2011 but details of the new system are yet to be worked out

Newspapers
What the year holds for newspapers
The big stories: How they will fare in the ad recovery and the challenge of paywalls. Talking with longtime analyst John Morton.

TV Reviews
'The Deep End,' not worth jumping in
New ABC legal drama wades in pretty shallow waters, featuring stick-figure characters, bad writing and weak plot development

Alternative media
'Here, here, beer for all. Walk right in.'
Dutch agency puts huge cardboard boxes around Amsterdam that play off a TV spot featuring walk-in beer fridges. Client: Heineken.

Here & there
It's done: Conan officially leaving NBC
Other shorts: ABC passes on Koppel return to host 'This Week' - Report: More than half watch Super Bowl for the ads - Nineteen more networks sign on for telethon - FCC: Cable can't block local sports channels

TV This Week
All eyes on the play: Lakers vs. Cavs
Consider it a warmup for the finals as NBA conference leaders Cleveland and Los Angeles meet in a clash of the stars, on TNT

Overnights
Fox rides high on Brett Favre's big loss
Averages a 19.0 in 18-49s for NFC championship between Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints, who won in overtime 31-28

Media economy
Supremes' gift to TV stations: Big bucks
High court ruling opens the way for hundreds of millions of dollars in political ad spending by corporations and unions

Television
O'Brien's last night pulls huge numbers
Friday 'Tonight' show averages a 4.8 in 18-49s, network's best showing this season after 'Sunday Night Football' and 'The Office'

Overnights
Haiti telethon draws 16 million viewers
ABC leads the way among Big Five with 4.6 million for relief effort also airing on more than two dozen cable networks, raising $58M

Here & there
NATPE kicks off with one concern: Oprah
Other shorts: Nielsen adding online data to TV numbers - What's up next for Conan: Perhaps Pago Pago? - Saturday overnights: Fox dominates again

TV This Week
For ABC Family's 'Greek,' rush is over
College teen drama could be getting the axe, with no renewal yet for a show that helped redefine the network several years ago

Overnights
ABC's 'Deep End' takes a deep dive
Averages a mere 1.8 in 18-49s in its debut, finishing in fourth place even behind repeats on CBS and 0.2 ahead of the CW in the hour

Overnights
ABC's Monday lineup hits season high
'Bachelor' rises to a 3.9 in 18-49s, second to Fox over its two hours. 'Castle' up 11 percent over last week against CBS reruns.

Sports TV
Ratings for NFL conference games soar
AFC and NFC title games combined are up 34 percent over last year, delivering largest audiences in nearly three decades

Television
Haiti benefit averages 24 million viewers
Airing on 33 networks, the telethon raises $61 million, as stars lend their presence to fund-raiser for quake-stricken country

Alternative media
'Crooked teeth? Cross right here.'
When does a crosswalk make you think of teeth? When there's a sign next to it showing the crosswalk with all its lines askew.

Television
All the buzz at NAPTE (beyond Oprah)
One rumor has Rosie O'Donnell returning to talk, another that Katie Couric will do a talk show. Talking with Katz's Bill Carroll.

Here & there
Oprah regains top TV personality spot
Other shorts: Stern: I have an offer from terrestrial radio - Lifetime births cable's biggest movie since 1994 - The No. 1 game show in the world: 'Millionaire' - Women to CBS: Axe Bowl ad with Tebow and mom

TV This Week
Jimmie Johnson, nice guy, and for real
HBO profiles the top NASCAR driver as a modest sort, a regular guy who fans can identify with, as the nation gets over Tiger

Overnights
'Idol' walks away with Tuesday night
Averages an 8.9 in 18-49s, off 10 percent from last week but still doubling the night's No. 2 show, CBS's 'NCIS,' with a 4.1

New media
Today, all hail Apple's 'Jesus tablet'
The company is finally unveiling its much-hyped new device, which could revolutionize the way magazines and newspapers are read. Or not.

Broadcast recap
NBC's new worry: No Sasha on the ice
Ratings for the Winter Games are sure to take a hit after figure skater Cohen failed to make the team last weekend (charts)

Cable recap
Now it's Martha who's jumping to cable
'Martha Stewart Show' will leave syndication for the Hallmark Channel in the fall, where it's probably a better fit (charts)

TV Reviews
'Spartacus: Blood and Sand,' gross too
Starz drama on ancient Rome is heavy on gore and obscenity, really a ripoff of the movie '300,' but lacks much of anything else

Alternative media
In Times Square, spoofing the Obama ad
AMC jumps on the to-do over the Weatherproof billboard featuring the president with an ad for 'Breaking Bad' using similar images

Here & there
Fox has highest-rated week in two years
Other shorts: CBS to women's groups: Sorry, ad is running - Coming soon: Juicy, a celeb title for black women - Programming notes: CBS wants more 'Mother' - The word: RedZone is roaming to mobile phones

TV This Week
For Obama, a chilly State of the Union
The president's approval ratings are well off from his first major speech to the nation, but he should still pull solid ratings

Overnights
Obama draws 30 million on the Big Four
Fox leads with 9.4 million for State of the Union, boosted by giant 'American Idol' lead-in. ABC is second with 7.5 million.

Television
Media buyers: NBC faces a hard slog
Many believe the Leno fiasco has truly hurt the brand, and they rank network executives at the bottom for how they handled it

Television
The ugly truth: 'Betty' is finished
Fourth-year ABC show will end this season, after ratings fell following a move to Friday night. Will Betty get the guy?

Cable
What 2010 holds for cable television
Big stories: Recovery, more interactivity, and networks pushing primetime lineups harder. Talking with RJ Palmer's Marc Morse.

TV Reviews
'Little Chocolatiers,' empty calories
But sweet to watch and moderately entertaining as husband and wife dwarfs create elaborate confections on this new TLC series

Alternative media
What people will do for a $5,000 bicycle
How about getting married wearing the bike maker's jerseys? Or changing their name? Or getting a tattoo? Call it oddvertising.

Here & there
Groups protest Supremes' ad decision
Other shorts: Times claims WSJ metro launch may be delayed - Forecast: 100 million will watch the Super Bowl - Brand Keys: Still, big-game ads not always worth it

TV This Week
Feast of crow: Jay Leno does 'Oprah'
Before returning to his old job as host of 'Tonight' he must make amends, and the show is the amends-making venue of choice

Overnights
Fox scores big against mostly repeats
'Bones' averages a 3.6 in 18-49s, best in two years, and 'Fringe' scores a season-high 3.0, pushing network well up over last year

Television
Final numbers: 48 million watch Obama
His first State of the Union outdraws Clinton but falls a bit short of Bush. Ranks as third-most-watched speech of his presidency.

TV Reviews
'Seducing Cindy,' at your own risk
The drill: 24 lonely guys vie for our lady's hand, she being a much-downloaded internet hottie. On the Fox Reality Channel.

Alternative media
Baring one's very soul on Fifth Avenue
Passersby are invited to share what they most want to do before dying. Their answers appear in a store window. Client: TV show.

Here & there
CBS weighs gay dating site Super Bowl ad
Other shorts: Survey: NBC should have seen this coming - Study: TV ads are most emotionally engaging - Comcast's FCC pledge: We'll play fair with NBC

Rachel speaks!
Rachel, talk to me about job interviews
The writer is finishing up her degree in media studies and wants advice on what to expect when she goes banging on agency doors

TV This Week
Best tube bets this weekend
Friday: Winter X Games on ESPN; Saturday: Lifetime original movie 'Lying to Be Perfect;' Sunday: Grammy Awards on CBS

Overnights
Big surge for Grammys over Jackson
CBS special averages 26.6 million viewers, up 40 percent over last year and best showing since 2001 with salutes to late pop star

Television
Last laugh: O'Brien's audience soars
In his final week, Conan's 'Tonight Show' hits series highs, with an average 5.3 million total viewers, including 10.3M for his finale

Sports TV
A Super Bowl primer for media buyers
What you need to know about Sunday's game when Indianapolis meets New Orleans in Miami (except who's going to win)

TV Reviews
'Kell on Earth,' mugging in Bryant Park
Bravo series trails after Kelly Cutrone, fashion flack of MTV's 'The Hills' fame, as she reveals her gentler side, should we care

Here & there
NBC renews 'Parks' for third season
Other shorts: Programming notes: 'Berkus Show' a go - Anheuser-Busch to viewers: Do you want the Clydesdales? - Report: Actually, Super Bowl is world's No. 2 sports event - Friday overnights: CBS struts to victory - Saturday overnights: Fox dominates in 18-49s

TV This Week
She's (he's) back, in all her (his) glory
Logo's 'RuPaul's Drag Race' is a reality show in which drag queens strut their stuff, but the big draw is the real queen herself

Overnights
Fox scores big against mostly repeats
'Bones' averages a 3.6 in 18-49s, best in two years, and 'Fringe' scores a season-high 3.0, pushing network well up over last year

Overnights
Big bang: CBS topples Fox and ABC
Averages a 4.1 in 18-49s with 'Big Bang Theory' the night's top show. Fox pulls a 3.9, ABC a 3.5 as 'Bachelor' hits a season high.

Sports TV
CBS: We've sold out the Super Bowl
Ads go for up to $3 million for the game, which could draw some 99 million viewers. First-time advertisers include Flo TV and Kia.

Sports TV
Pro Bowl soars leading into Super Bowl
Game averages 12.3 million total viewers on ESPN, 40 percent over last year after being moved to a week before the big game

Sports TV
Manhandled: The gay Super Bowl ad ado
Male dating site says CBS hasn't been straightforward in rejecting its ad. Taking with Bridge and Tunnel's Dominic Friesen.

Survey
So, who's going to win Super Bowl?
New Orleans or Indianapolis? And how many will tune in for the game? What will be this year's most talked about commercials?

Here & there
TNT and CBS team for March Madness bid
Other shorts: CBS to KGB: Get your head out of your ... - Nielsen: Many Super Bowl viewers will do it at home - Programming notes: Oprah gets OWN show

TV Reviews
'The Michael Vick Project,' redeeming
BET reality series follows the pro football player after his release from prison for dog fighting, and his story is told well

TV This Week
For ABC's 'Lost,' beginning of the end
Cult island mystery returns for its final season, and while ratings are down, the show has regained the energy of earlier years

Overnights
Hefty ratings for return of ABC's 'Lost'
Averages a 5.6 in 18-49s, up 12 percent over last year and its best showing in two years on a night of strong numbers for all networks

Cable
For cable, a month full of new records
Networks including HGTV and A&E have their best January ever in primetime, while Nickelodeon hits top numbers in 30-year history

Broadcast recap
Yes, Fox leads, but CBS is gaining on it
It's been narrowing the lead, last week to a 0.2 margin in 18-49s, and CBS will score big this weekend with Super Bowl (charts)

Radio
'John Tesh here. Hi to the guys at Joe's.'
Syndicated celebrity-hosted music shows are gaining as technology makes it possible to splice in local flavor, at far less cost

Media economy
Outlook for automotive: Hard to say
Study finds big jump in fourth-quarter TV advertising but how other media did is unknown. Talking with Kantar Media's Jon Swallen.

Cable recap
Alas, a perkier 'Miss America' after all
Pageant draws 4.5 million viewers, up 29 percent over last year, with credit to TLC for giving it a much-needed facelift (charts)

Here & there
Murdoch: We're weighing options on Conan
Other shorts: Viewers: CBS should air Focus on the Family ad - Favorite to win ad poll: Anheuser-Busch - Carat's Shari Anne Brill leaves after 11 years

TV This Week
Oh 'Mercy,' there is a doctor in the house
But will he be enough to save the struggling NBC hospital drama? Enter former 'Dawson's Creek' heartthrob James Van Der Beek.

People
Jon Stewart guesting on 'The O'Reilly Factor' 
Cue the fireworks: The 'Daily Show' host will appear on
Fox News Channel tonight and tomorrow
Kevin Dugan, Michael E. Rubin and Taylor Wiegert join Empower 
Joe Lin becomes creative SVP at Digitas 
John Rowley becomes VP of strategic development at GMR Marketing 
Stephanie Rudnick rises to VP of communications at Momentum 
Paige Soltano becomes director of recruitment at Katz Media Group 
Stephen M. Lacy becomes chairman at Meredith Corp. 
Jeff Berman joins the board of directors at Buddy Media 
Kelly Alfieri, Jennifer Barrett and Christine Fenno join iVillage 
Dan Pasternack becomes VP of development at IFC 
Geraldine Moriba producing CNN's 'In America'

Overnights
CBS scores with Super Bowl special
'Greatest Commercials' averages a 2.9 in 18-49s, winning the 8 p.m. hour, a good omen for the game. Fox's 'Idol' tumbles.

Sports TV
Readers: Expect one super Super Bowl
Media planners and buyers bet record viewers will tune in Sunday, and most think the Colts will win. Most anticipated ads: AB's.

Television
CBS: We're not cutting Katie's salary
Denies reports that it will reduce anchor's $15 million per year payout after layoffs in news division. Drudge: Couric backlash brews.

Sports TV
Coming soon, Saturday night baseball
This spring Fox will air two Major League games as a test, and if they draw viewers Saturday could evolve in a big sports night

Sports TV
All the skinny on Super Bowl TV spots
A look at what to expect to see this year (hint: look for men in their underwear). Talking with SpotBowl.com's Mark Richwine.

Here & there
Report: Zucker will be booted by Comcast
Other shorts: Programming notes: HBO renews 'Big Love' - Police: Seattle radio employee fixed giveaways - Going for $15K, it's The Hef, a gray mohair loveseat

Sports TV
This year's guide to Super Bowl trivia
Fans will spend nearly $190 million on potato chips, veggies will be the top food, and just 3 percent will watch the game in a bar

TV This Week
'Survivor's' bad boy: Richard Hatch
On CBS's 'Surviving Survivor,' a cameo for season one's bad boy will prep viewers for the show's return. But will it crack 'Bones'?

Overnights
ABC nips a win on first night of sweeps
Averages a 3.1 in 18-49s, 0.1 ahead of Fox and CBS, led by 'Grey's Anatomy' with a 4.5. 'Deep End' sinks to series-low 1.3.

Dayparts update
'Nightline' regains the lead in late night
ABC news show rises to No. 1 with 3.94 million total viewers as O'Brien and Letterman go into reruns following last month's brouhaha

Sports TV
Making the case for Super Bowl ads
They're pricey but they pay for themselves when they're the centerpiece of a larger effort. Talking with Insight/SGW's Walt Guarino.

TV Reviews
'Undercover Boss,' feel-good television
We warm up to the boss as he bonds with his workers in CBS's new reality series, and for a few moments we feel good about life

Television
But don't expect a lasting Super Bowl lift
CBS's 'Undercover Boss' will get a heavy sampling on game night but typically new shows have trouble holding viewers over time

Here & there
Imagine this: Howard Stern on 'American Idol'
Other shorts: Bikini Boy: 'Idol' audition was a radio hoax - Viewers: We're rooting for the Saints Sunday - Controversial advertisers top pregame buzz

Rachel speaks!
Rachel, please, enough Super Bowl
The writer, a guy, is fed up with all the talk about Sunday's game, and to make it even worse, he works in a media department

TV This Week
Best tube bets this weekend
Friday: Haiti benefit on MTV; Saturday: NASCAR on Fox; Sunday: Indianapolis Colts play New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLIV

People
Dan Neil joins the Wall Street Journal 
The Pulitzer Prize-winning Los Angeles Times writer will
write an automotive column
Mathias Appelblad, Toygar Bazarkaya and Ralph Watson join BBDO NY 
Derek Leedy rises to SVP of client services at Mediasmith 
Paul Hastings rises to EVP and director of account services at Y&R 
Four rise at Katz Radio Group 
Lizzie Widhelm rises to national ad sales VP at Pandora Media 
Carrie Cullen becomes sales director at Food Network Magazine 
John Handley becomes sports sales director at The Dallas Morning News 
Brit Morgan joins HBO's 'True Blood' 
Matt Walsh and Ian Roberts starring in Spike TV's 'Players' 
Laura Prepon joins ABC's 'Awkward Situations for Men'

Television
Super Bowl most-watched show ever
Averages 106.5 million total viewers and 51.7 million households, beating the 1983 'M*A*S*H' finale, which drew 105.97 million

Sports TV
Yep, that was Jay and Dave together
Shocker: Rival comedians team up for a spot during last night's game. The biggest surprise may have been how they kept it a secret.

Sports TV
Viewers to Bud: This snub's for you
Turn up their noses at beer company's Super Bowl ads, instead ranking Doritos and Snickers the best of the game in various polls

Sports TV
Big game's big winners: Saints and Sun Life
Sun Life Stadium generates $26 million in free exposure through in-game mentions, on-screen text and signage during the Super Bowl

TV Reviews
'NFL Full Contact,' stick to the game
TruTV's behind-the-scenes reality series is humdrum fare about the guys who pull the whole show together and reveals little new

Here & there
ABC: Newsstand sales fall 9.1 percent
Other shorts: Friday overnights: CBS wins and CW hits season high - Saturday overnights: Fox races to win - Study: Ad network usage is soaring

Overnights
Early Super Bowl numbers: Way up
Averages a 46.4 in metered-market households, up 10 percent from last year's record-setting game and best showing in 23 years

TV This Week
For NBC's 'Heroes,' two cliffhangers
Season four finale will leave viewers up in the air over where the story's headed, but the fate of the show is also up in the air

Overnights
CBS Monday shows see Super Bowl lift
Averages a 4.4 in 18-49s, up 7 percent from last week, with every show seeing gains. 'Big Bang' hits a series high with a 6.0.

Television
Super Bowl most-watched show ever
Averages 106.5 million total viewers and 51.7 million households, beating the 1983 'M*A*S*H' finale, which drew 105.97 million

Magazines
More tough times at the newsstand
Single-copy magazine sales decline by 9.1 percent over the second half of 2009, and total circulation also dips (charts)

Sports TV
Another Super Bowl record: The most ads
Commercials ate up 47 minutes and 50 seconds, three more minutes than last year, and nearly two thirds were from smaller companies

Sports TV
But ad-wise, a pretty timid Super Bowl
Advertisers were clearly nervous about pushing limits in this tough economy. Talking with Adbowl's Bart Cleveland.

Sports TV
And all the rest of the Super Bowl leftovers
Like which ad got the most postgame buzz, which movie trailer was most effective, and which newspaper screwed up the game's score

Here & there
Siriusly: Fox wants Howard Stern for 'Idol'
Other shorts: Brangelina sues Brits over bogus breakup story - ANA study: TV ad budgets will stay flat - On Valentine's Day, 1 in 5 choose pet over people

TV Reviews
'Past Life,' whodunit with bad karma
And the writing and acting aren't so great either on this new Fox drama about two ill-matched detectives of paranormal mysteries

Overnights
'American Idol' gets a bump from Ellen
Averages a 10.1 in 18-49s, up 13 percent from last week, and 27.7 million total viewers, second best this season, as DeGeneres joins

Sports TV
Viewers: Super Bowl ads weren't as good
Rate them lower than the past two years in a new poll. Blame higher expectations and a generally poor year creatively.

Television
The word: 'Idol' producers want Conan
He's the latest name to pop up in the Simon Cowell replacement search, and perhaps the least likely, with no musical background

Broadcast recap
'Undercover Boss' scores a touchdown
New CBS reality show draws 38.6 million total viewers, best ever for a reality show and third best in that post-game slot (charts)

Cable recap
Danica does Daytona, and ratings roar
Indy driver and pinup fave makes her stock car debut, and Speed sees ratings jump, boding well for her Nationwide debut (charts)

TV Reviews
'The Robert Verdi Show,' hold the nuts
The star in this new Logo reality series works hard at being over-the-top funny, and he's both, but it's all just too much

Here & there
Nielsen: Doritos has most-watched ad ever
Other shorts: Programming notes: TLC chops 'Chopper' - Bunny flop: Suit accuses Hef of sabotage - Rat stew: Aussie court fines ITV for animal cruelty

TV This Week
'Friday Night Lights' shine, despite it all
The NBC show heads into its fourth-season finale with a fifth season assured, even with low ratings, because of a unique deal

Overnights
'Modern Family' grows against 'Idol'
ABC show ties a series high with a 4.2 in 18-49s, up 8 percent over last week, as lead-in 'Middle' rises to 3.0, also a series best

Magazines
Some major titles fail to make rate base
Among them Playboy, Reader's Digest and Harper's, along with OK! and In Touch, with much of the blame going to the bum economy

Radio
Music radio where listeners are the DJs
Fans vote for the songs they want to hear next in this emerging form of programming, a morphing of request radio and social media

Sports TV
USOC to advertisers: Stop the ambushes
Calls out Subway and Verizon for spots that allude to the Olympics as the Games get set to begin. Also: Vancouver needs it to snow.

Alternative media
Doggone, an ad campaign to drool over
Beneath a billboard of a Great Dane is a puddle of what looks like drool. The dog is staring at a poster of a bag of dog food.

TV Reviews
'Prison Wives,' engrossing life stories
Investigation Discovery series skips past the cliches, and watching it one comes to better understand the complicated lives of these women

Here & there
Stern may have overstated 'Idol's' interest
Other shorts: MySpace CEO Van Natta leaves after 10 months - Google delivering super-fast broadband - SI swimsuit issue: Skimpy suits but fatter revenue - TeleFutura leapfrogs Telemundo with 'El Capo'

TV This Week
A deeper look at the horror in Haiti
Discovery's 'Haiti's Killer Quake' uses on-the-scene footage and 3D graphics to explain why it happened, and when it will hit next

Overnights
CBS wins second Thursday of sweeps
Averages a 4.2 in 18-49s, 40 percent ahead of No. 2 ABC with the premiere of 'Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains' with a 4.5 rating

Sports TV
A media buyer's guide to the Olympics
What you need to know about the Games, from how many hours NBC plans to broadcast to how well they should do in the ratings

Sports TV
Feeling good about the Winter Games
Ratings could well be up, but success goes beyond how many viewers NBC draws. Talking with Cliffdweller's Karen McCallum.

Dayparts update
'Hospital' heats up as Sonny shoots Dante
ABC soap hits a two-year high in the aftermath of their explosive confrontation. Here's the kicker: Turns out Sonny is Dante's dad.

TV Reviews
'How to Make It in America,' empty faces
The characters in this new HBO series are ciphers, so poorly defined by the writers that it's impossible to identify with them

Here & there
PTC to Fox: Step away from Howard Stern
Other shorts: AFL passes from NBC and ESPN to NFL Network - Playboy's big scoop: John Mayer is a jerk - Programming notes: 'Lights' out for NBC show

Rachel speaks!
Rachel, I'm like entirely snowed under
The writer complains fellow workers fail to show up when it snows, choosing to take vacation days, and he's stuck with their work

TV This Week
Best tube bets this weekend
Friday: Olympic opening ceremonies on NBC; Saturday: Danica Patrick racing on ESPN2; Sunday: Bob Costas on 'The Simpsons'

Overnights
'Bachelor' holds up against Olympics
Averages a 4.0 in 18-49s, the night's top show outside the Games and equaling its season average and up slightly in total viewers

Sports TV
Olympics open to huge ratings for NBC
First night draws biggest audience ever for non-U.S. Winter Games, averaging 32.6 million viewers from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Sports TV
Fox's Daytona 500 hits a speed bump
Ratings for NASCAR season opener fall 16 percent from 2009, to a 7.7 household rating, after damage to the track delays the race

Overnights
Strong return for 'Undercover Boss'
Averages a 5.1 in 18-49s for its second airing following post-Super Bowl debut and against Olympics, giving CBS a new hit

TV Reviews
'Moto: Inside the Outdoors,' lots of gas
Fuel TV series follows the lives of motocross racers but the producers go light on the basics in favor of breathless hype

Here & there
The word: Magic eyeing Ebony and Jet
Other shorts: NYT investigating a reporter for plagiarism - Friday overnights: Olympics KO competition - Saturday overnights: Fox fares best against NBC

TV This Week
At Westminster, nod to those not there
PETA is setting up a mock graveyard outside the annual dog show for all the dogs who die in shelters. Will it hurt ratings? No.

Overnights
CBS wins second Thursday of sweeps
Averages a 4.2 in 18-49s, 40 percent ahead of No. 2 ABC with the premiere of 'Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains' with a 4.5 rating

Overnights
'Idol' tops Olympics in the major demos
Fox show averages 23.6 million total viewers and a 9.1 in 18-49s to NBC's 19.7 million and a 5.1, keeping alive a six-year streak

Television
CW gives five shows early pick-ups
First-year hit 'The Vampire Diaries' leads the list of renewals. Conspicuously absent: 'Melrose Place' and 'One Tree Hill.'

Sports TV
Olympics score, even for taped events
NBC's Monday coverage averages 25.2 million viewers, up from Turin though off from Sunday, for replay of men's downhill skiing

Television
What shows are on the bubble, and why
Each network has its share that could be axed, but what goes into the decision is complicated. Talking with Horizon's Brad Adgate.

Alternative media
Passing the buck, with a stick-on ad
Drug chain passes out dollar bills to retail outlets to give out as change. Affixed to each is an ad and a coupon that peels off.

TV Reviews
'Model City,' strutting pretty boys
Centric reality series displays male models as objects of desire but efforts to create interest in their lives come across as forced

Here & there
Thirty percent of Americans still aren't wired
Other shorts: Adult Swim lets viewers choose the pilots - Study: A third visited Super Bowl advertisers' sites - Palin to 'Family Guy:' That was a low blow

TV This Week
For TNT's 'Leverage,' a second look
Ratings are just so-so heading into its season finale but it sees strong seven-day playback, which bolstered its case for renewal

Overnights
Zowie! Olympics beat 'American Idol'
Games average 30 million viewers to 18.4 million as U.S. wins three gold medals. First loss for the Fox show in six years.

Sports TV
After a three-month absence, Tiger returns
He'll offer a five-minute apology for the scandal that knocked him off the tour. But no word on when he'll get back on the course.

Sports TV
Winter Games chill against Fox's 'Idol'
Average 20.3 million viewers, down nearly 5 million from Monday primetime tune-in but still bettering Turin four years ago

Cable recap
Olympics nip at NBA All-Star Game
Sunday's game is down 10 percent from last year, to 6.8 million total viewers, though ratings have been up this year (charts)

Broadcast recap
Tricked out, reality shows find new life
And it's not just 'American Idol' and its new judge. 'Bachelor' rides high on tab headlines and 'Survivor' on old rivalries (charts).

TV Reviews
'The Ricky Gervais Show,' funny radio
HBO series is an update of 'The Office' star's show on British radio of three guys chatting around a mike, very amusingly

Here & there
Poll: Supremes got it wrong on campaign $
Other shorts: Comcast study: Addressable ads hit their target - Verizon FiOS offers special HBO site to subscribers - Programming notes: HBO gets 'Funny or Die' - White House: We wouldn't do 'Colbert' show

TV This Week
Respite from the cold: La Musica Latina
Univision's Latin music awards show should do well against the Winter Games as the network's must-see live event of the year

People
Geri Wang becomes head of sales at ABC 
The former senior vice president of primetime sales takes
over for the retired Mike Shaw
Andrew Benett becomes global CEO at Arnold Worldwide 
Pete Zillig becomes co-CEO at Euro RSCG 
Kevin Livermore becomes VP of business development at Geomentum 
Steve Mykolyn rises to Euro chief communications officer at Taxi 
Alistair Ross becomes head of ideas at DraftFCB London 
Jon Gosselin settles TLC lawsuit 
Dennis Camlek becomes VP of strategic media planning at Turner Media 
Stewart Bailey becomes executive producer of NBC's 'Last Call' 
Kris Allen returning to 'American Idol' 
Kevin James hosting Nickelodeon's Kids Choice Awards

Overnights
NBC's Olympics whack the competition
ABC's lineup of originals slides 17 percent in 18-49s versus last week to a 2.5, with 'Grey's Anatomy' falling to a series low

Dayparts update
NBC's 'Nightly News' hits five-year high
Averages 11.05 million total viewers, boosted by interest in the Olympics and the big winter storm, as Williams heads to Vancouver

Sports TV
Olympics ratings shoot up on U.S. wins
NBC averages 29.4 million viewers Wednesday night, up 9.1 million, as U.S. athletes grab six medals, setting winter record

Magazines
For magazines, the Great Realignment
Publishing faces a great tumble in the next four years, then a rebirth as a new industry. Talking with mediaIDEAS' David Renard.

Here & there
Golf writers boycotting Tiger's statement
Other shorts: Programming notes: Spike orders 'Back Nine' - Nielsen: Sony grabs Games advertising gold - Wait till Elvis hears this: Enquirer up for Pulitzer - Richmond weekly cans reporter for expletive email

TV Reviews
'The Family Crews,' stick with your own
The home lives of stars can be pretty dull, and this new BET reality series, about actor Terry Crews, proves that once again

Rachel speaks!
Rachel, I just got another job offer
The writer has been in a new job just one month and the offer is for more money at a big-name agency. Is it okay to jump?

TV This Week
Best tube bets this weekend
Friday: Ice dancing on the Olympics; Saturday: 'Precious' profile on TV Guide Network; Sunday: 'Desperate Housewives' on ABC

Overnights
CBS's 'Undercover Boss' holds its edge
Averages a 4.8 in 18-49s against the Olympics as the night's top non-sports show, even bettering ABC's 'Desperate Housewives'

Sports TV
Tiger, tiger burning bright, if less so
The media is mostly trashing Friday's public apology but the public is more sympathetic, and the sense is it will all blow over

Sports TV
Winter Games push NBC to third place
Seven nights boost the network to a 2.8 in 18-49s for the season, ahead of ABC, while averaging 26.6 million total viewers

Alternative media
Surprise! Ambush tactics thrive at Games.
Non-Olympic sponsors make up a third of top brands in Vancouver, according to a new survey, despite a serious crackdown by the IOC

Here & there
No second chance for Fox's 'Past Life'
Other shorts: Radio losses not quite as bad in Q4 - Friday overnights: Olympics draw 23.2M - Saturday overnights: Olympics draw 25.4M - Univision launching new telenovela hub

TV This Week
Waiting for the word: 'Life Unexpected'
Ratings have fallen for this first-year CW show, and it was left off the list of early renewals. But the show still shows promise.

Overnights
NBC's Olympics whack the competition
ABC's lineup of originals slides 17 percent in 18-49s versus last week to a 2.5, with 'Grey's Anatomy' falling to a series

Overnights
ABC is tops after NBC and the Olympics
'Bachelor: Women Tell All' averages a 3.9 in 18-49s as the night's top non-sports program, finishing 25 percent behind Games

Sports TV
The suddenly hot Olympic sport: Hockey
U.S. men's upset victory Sunday ties a record on MSNBC while viewership on NBC continues to hold a hefty lead over Turin

Television
'Grey's' leads in seven-day DVR playback
Getting an average boost of 1.5 among adults 18-49s, just ahead of 'House' and 'The Office.' 'Lost' debut gains series-best 1.1.

Alternative media
A woman with hair like ice cream swirls
Her face is printed on an ice cream cone holder, and the ice cream swirls flow softly from her forehead. Client: A hair salon.

Research
The big chink in the idea of paywalls
Online readers still believe content should be free, and sellers must change that belief. Talking with Nielsen's Jon Gibs.

Radio
The high price of bad creative on radio
There seem to be more scream-and-shout ads these days, and everyone's paying for it, including stations and the advertisers

Here & there
Police: Craigslist ads still plying s#@ trade
Other shorts: Star-Ledger driver accused of toxin hoax - Programming notes: FX renews 'Archer' - OMG: College kids prefer texting to talking - Study: Web could make you smarter. Or dumber.

TV This Week
On Syfy, wrestlers not from Mars
'WWE NXT,' where wannabes learn from pros, replaces 'ECW,' which early on featured supernatural elements. It's probably a better fit.

Overnights
'Idol' resurges, trumping the Olympics
Fox reality show averages 24 million total viewers from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., besting Games' 20.8 million, after losing to NBC last week

Television
Production suspended on CBS's 'Men'
Star Charlie Sheen heads to rehab, shutting down the set of CBS's top-rated comedy and raising questions about the show's future

Sports TV
Monday's Olympics slip on ice dancing
It's the first night when viewership dips below Turin, averaging 20.9 million, but the Games still handily beat everything else

Broadcast recap
Another Olympic winner: Hispanic TV
Univision and Telemundo climb in the ratings against the Games, topping other networks, with smart counter-programming (charts)

Cable
Ice sports give NBC cable a hefty bump
Ratings are up over Turin for hockey and curling on USA, CNBC and MSNBC, with hockey leading the Games in buzz (charts)

Here & there
ABC News slashing some 400 jobs
Other shorts: FNC leads cable viewership for Tiger's 'I'm sorry' - Dow Jones: We want SmartMoney to ourselves - Tweet success: Fortune 500 companies jump on Twitter

TV Reviews
DeGeneres on 'American Idol,' flat notes
Daytime talk host knows little about music, as she admits, but she also fails to deliver on witty repartee with the other judges

TV This Week
On 'The View,' Octomom gets a grilling
The mother of 13 is ripe for fertile conversation about her birthing ways, and the many rumors about her, with Whoopi and Joy

Overnights
'American Idol' tops the Olympics again
Averages 22.8 million total viewers to 19 million from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in what could be the lowest Olympic night yet for NBC

Sports TV
Buyers: NBC gets a B for the Olympics
Despite some beefs, most think coverage is well done, but the network has certainly been helped by America's performance

Sports TV
Without U.S. skating, Games fervor melts
Nightly ratings drop below Turin four years ago with no American women skaters contenting for gold, but overall Games are still up

Television
'I had a show. Now I have a Twitter account.'
And with that, Conan O'Brien is back, weeks after exiting NBC and months before he can launch another show. In the meantime, he'll tweet.

Dayparts update
Double whammy for DeGeneres on 'Idol'
Fox show sees second-best ratings of the season her first night, and her talk show hits a series high, soaring with women 18-34

Here & there
Nielsen: Ad spending falls 9 percent in 2009
Other shorts: Hockey semi will air live on West Coast - Lamar yanks puppet cleavage bus shelter ad - Study: Newspaper sites leading local source

TV Reviews
'Madman of the Sea,' goofing with sharks
Animal Planet series works hard to build suspense but host Matt Watson is really out to have a good time, and does, joking around

TV This Week
Someone to root for in Joannie Rochette
She's in third place in women's figure skating, in a tough fight for the gold, but the Canadian's courage has wowed fans

Overnights
Olympics bounce back to beat 'Idol'
NBC averages 19.2 million total viewers to 17.8 million for Fox show, but the latter wins big in 18-49s with a 6.4 rating

Sports TV
Lacking glam sports, Games slide again
NBC averages 19.8 million total viewers Wednesday night, hours after U.S. men's hockey team qualifies. Still topping Turin.

Television
The new 'Idol' judge will not be Stern
Producers will name Simon Cowell's replacement at season's end, and it 'definitely' won't be the shock jock, according to a report

Television
The Leno question: Will viewers return?
Longtime 'Tonight' host returns to his chair on Monday night, after months of anticipation. Talking with Magna's Lisa Quan.

Alternative media
'All aboard, and now off to the slopes'
Vancouver bus shelter is done up as a ski lift to give commuters a sense of the thrill of the Games. Client: vitaminwater

Here & there
Who's watching Games: Gramps and gran
Other shorts: Robbery suspects crash LA Times printing plant - Univision CEO: Radio down due to PPM boycott - Student auctions body to raise $ for Haiti

Rachel speaks!
Rachel, I worry about being slammed
The writer hated his old job and quit to freelance. Now he's up for a media job he really wants but fears what his old boss will say.

TV This Week
Best tube bets this weekend
Friday: Fox's NAACP Image Awards; Saturday: Villanova vs. Syracuse on ESPN; Sunday: Olympics closing ceremonies

Overnights
Solid debut for NBC's 'Marriage Ref'
Seinfeld reality show averages a 4.8 in 18-49s, holding 91 percent of Olympics' closing ceremonies audience. Real test comes Thursday.

Sports TV
Vancouver will handily top Turin Games
Winter Olympics will likely finish third behind Salt Lake and Lillehammer in total viewers when the final numbers are tallied

Overnights
Olympics score on Friday and Saturday
Final nights of competition draw more than 20 million viewers, proving once again that people will tune in for big events

Television
Critics slam NBC's Seinfeld reality show
Eviscerate 'Marriage Ref' as unfunny and a blight on comic's legacy after last night's debut leading out of Olympics closing events

Here & there
Honolulu's No. 2 paper joins endangered list
Other shorts: Report: Anderson Cooper meets with CBS - NYT now available on a digital OOH network - Stern beauty pageant: May the best mistress win - Publishers' new campaign: We're far more engaging

TV Reviews
'Players,' trying too hard to talk dirty
Spike sitcom could actually work as a workplace comedy, having an able cast, but the writers strive to be outrageous, and flub it

TV This Week
Back at it: Leno and Letterman, again
Their decades-long late-night rivalry resumes as Leno returns to host NBC's 'Tonight,' and it begins with a battle over bookings

Overnights
Olympics bounce back to beat 'Idol'
NBC averages 19.2 million total viewers to 17.8 million for Fox show, but the latter wins big in 18-49s with a 6.4 rating

Overnights
Big open-arm welcome as Leno returns
'Tonight' averages a 5.4 in metered-market households on first night of host's return after nine months, handily whipping Letterman

Sports TV
Final numbers: Vancouver ranks No. 2
NBC's Olympics draw 190 million total viewers over 17 days, averaging 24.4 million a night, to finish second to Lillehammer

Sports TV
And for U.S. hockey, a win with its loss
Sunday's game scores as third most-watched game in Olympic history, averaging 27.6 million total viewers as Canada beats U.S.

Television
A slightly better picture for the Oscars
Ad prices are up this year, and ratings should be as well for ABC's Sunday's special. Talking with Kantar Media's Jon Swallen.

TV Reviews
'Parenthood,' engaging lives, well told
New NBC drama suffers some from the self-absorbed characters of earlier boomer series, but the cast and writing make up for it

Alternative media
For an ice hotel, snowmen point the way
Each winter a hotel made of ice opens near to Quebec. To pump this year's hotel its agency places snowmen around the city.

Here & there
He's back: Leno returns to 'Tonight'
Other shorts: Programming notes: TLC dumps Miss America - Cablevision may drop WABC in retrans fight - Pew: Web becomes No. 2 news source - Playboy boss: We're trimming our workforce

TV This Week
For 'Southland,' a new life, with promise
TNT is debuting season two of the axed NBC show, and it's got critics talking up the drama and the network for saving it

Overnights
Solid premiere for NBC's 'Parenthood'
Well-reviewed drama averages a 3.1 in 18-49s, winning its 10 p.m. timeslot, after blitz of network ads during the Games

Broadcast recap
Olympics were really a West Coast thing
Despite tape delays, viewership rose heading west, with Salt Lake City and Denver the top markets. East Coast had fewest viewers.

Cable recap
Not-so-big Starz finally has a big hit
Or big for it, as its original series 'Spartacus: Blood and Sand' breaks a million total viewers, thanks to smart marketing

Here & there
Rupe: New WSJ section launches in April
Other shorts: Married people dating site's Oscar ad nixed - Comedy Central pulls plug on Hulu partnership - Updated numbers: Leno beats his '09 average

Magazines
Not-so-rosy outlook for Hispanic titles
Publishers saw a steep tumble in ad revenue in 2009, and 2010 isn't looking great. Talking with Media Economics' Carlos Pelay.

Cable
History channel makes some of its own
Hit show 'Pawn Stars' boosts network to best month in history, bucking the trend of ratings declines on cable during February

TV This Week
For 'Nip/Tuck,' one last time on the table
Ratings will likely be modest for the series finale of this glitzy, groundbreaking FX drama but its legacy is sure to live on

Friday, March 05, 2010

Television
Oscars draw most viewers in five years
ABC special averages 41.3 million total viewers, up 14 percent over last year, while averaging a 13.1 rating in adults 18-49

Overnights
ABC dominates Sunday with the Oscars
Early numbers: Averages a 26.5 in metered-market households, more than double other networks, with Chicago leading local markets

Television
Readers peg Academy Award winners
Get it right on 'Hurt Locker' as best picture, Sandra Bullock as best actress and Jeff Bridges as best actor in a Media Life poll

Television
Cablevision standoff ends as Oscars begin
Company reaches deal with Disney to restore WABC signal 15 minutes into the ceremony, but retrans fees will remain a major issue

Television
With Games, NBC wins February sweeps
Network averages a 4.7 in adults 18-49, and credit goes entirely to the Olympics, which doubled its average over a year ago

Here & there
Fox renews second-year drama 'Fringe'
Other shorts: Journalism ethicists go mad over 'Alice' ad - Friday overnights: 'Who' helps NBC to first - Saturday overnights: 'Cops' paces Fox to win

Radio
On the FM dial, the rise of talk radio
AM is where the talk format has long prospered but a slew of FM stations are switching over, and you can expect to see more

TV This Week
Jason and Molly: At the altar at last
Special episode of ABC's 'The Bachelor' unites the season 13 couple after a stormy relationship, in the show's first marriage

Overnights
Ho-hum wedding on ABC's 'Bachelor'
Post-finale episode averages 2.7 in 18-49s, half last week's rating and third place over two hours, placing ABC third for night

Television
Oscars draw most viewers in five years
ABC special averages 41.3 million total viewers, up 14 percent over last year, while averaging a 13.1 rating in adults 18-49

Research
Ad-wise, still the best thing on television
Oscar night is called the Super Bowl for women. It's really the Super Bowl for advertisers. Talking with TV analyst Steve Sternberg.

TV Reviews
'High Society,' about as low as you get
CW reality series purports to examine the good life of the society's elite but these come off as whiny, vacant and boring

Television