CBS Builds Another Comedy Night on Wednesdays

'New Adventures of Old Christine' to Anchor Lineup of Midweek Sitcoms

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- CBS Corp. is placing a bet on an out-of-favor format: the sitcom. The company's flagship network, known for having one of the most durable stable of programs on broadcast TV and a solid Monday comedy schedule, said it would attempt to launch another night anchored by comedy for the 2008-09 TV season. FULL ARTICLE

CW Fills Schedule With the Rich and Pretty

Aims to Attract Young Women With '90210' Remake, 'Filthy Rich'

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- CW's goal for Year Two: target young women. The UPN/WB hybrid had a rough go of broadly reaching the youth demo last year, but the buzzworthy (if not ratings) success of "Gossip Girl" has the network chasing after the female segment in a bigger way this year. What's in store for next season? Lots and lots of pretty young things playing at being rich. FULL ARTICLE

Turner Offers to Place Ads Next to Relevant Content

Also Introduces Slate That Includes 'Truth in Advertising'

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- TNT and TBS are out to prove they could play with the big boys of broadcast. The Turner Broadcasting properties were the first entertainment cable networks to vie for media buyers' ad dollars during the week traditionally dominated by the five national broadcast networks. FULL ARTICLE

3 Minute Ad Age: May 14, 2008

NBC's New Upfront Format Puzzles Media Buyers

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- There were scary mummies and brutish gladiators and blinking screens galore at NBC's upfront presentation but, oddly, not a single sales pitch. Replacing the upfront theatrical performances and hard sell of yesteryear was a trade-show-like environment of floor displays and aimless wandering. Ad Age television editor Brian Steinberg explains why media buyers were puzzled by an upfront format stripped down to an hour of light entertainment and nothing else. Also in this 3 Minute Ad Age, an agency head discusses how the upfront should be changed to better accommodate cross-platform digital advertisers. FULL ARTICLE

Fuller Steps Down as Editorial Director at American Media

She Transformed Star but Could Not Match Her Earlier Success at Us Weekly

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Bonnie Fuller, the editor most responsible for the rise of celebrity weekly magazines, is leaving her position as exec VP-editorial director at American Media, the publisher of magazines including Star and National Enquirer. FULL ARTICLE

What You Should Have Read, May 14, 2008

Nina Garcia: In at Marie Claire

Fashion Week Daily reports that while both Hachette Filipacchi and Hearst remain mum on the fate of Nina Garcia, a source involved in the negotiations confirms that the former Elle fashion director has accepted an offer from Marie Claire and will join the title as fashion director in September. Garcia will replace Tracy Taylor, who has left the magazine. An official announcement on Garcia's hire could come as soon as the end of the week. As for the rumors that Marie Claire will replace Elle as a partner on Project Runway, they remain hearsay. "There has been no update," a spokesman for The Weinstein Company confirmed. At this point, Elle is confirmed for season five of Project Runway with season six undecided. Garcia's hire at Marie Claire is "completely separate from Marie Claire's possible interest in Project Runway," the source told the website. FULL ARTICLE

What You Should Have Read, May 14, 2008

The Dolans March In, But Please, No Press

The New York Observer weighs in on Cablevision's acquisition of Newsday, and finds not all is well in Hellville, er, Melville, the Long Island town where Newsday is based. During the bidding process for Newsday, the Dolans were for a time considering a partnership to buy the newspaper with the Observer Media Group, the publishing group that owns The Observer; both parties decided to go their separate ways well before the deal was sealed. Now the pink paper notes how the Dolans were less than enthusiastic about being covered by reporters from their new purchase. FULL ARTICLE