Bud comes up big with ad viewers
Sunday night’s Super Bowl saw the coronation of a dynasty — Anheuser-Busch won “best-liked” honors in the influential USA TODAY Ad Meter ratings for the 10th year in a row. The ad featured a Dalmatian training a Clydesdale to try out for the Budweiser beer wagon team. Spots for FedEx, Bridgestone and Doritos also scored high. You can see ALL 55 SUPERBOWL ADS by clicking over to this page at USA TODAY (2/4)

Writers’ strike could be settled this week
The writers’ strike reportedly could be headed toward a settlement as early as this week after the union and major studios reached a new, tentative proposal that would follow a similar compensation model for online streams as one adopted by the directors’ guild. The final contract could be presented to the Writers Guild leadership by Friday, sources said. Both sides, citing a media blackout, would not comment. The Washington Post (2/3), The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) (2/4), Los Angeles Times (free registration) (2/3)

Report: Super Bowl ratings could set a record
According to preliminary reports, Sunday night’s Super Bowl telecast on Fox garnered a 44.7 rating and a 66 share. When all the numbers are in, the game could hold the record as the most-watched Super Bowl, and possibly the second-most-watch TV broadcast ever after the 1983 finale of “M*A*S*H.” CNNMoney.com/Associated Press (2/4)

Obama campaign made regional ad buy for Super Bowl
Barack Obama’s camp bought ad time on the Super Bowl in a bid to reach voters in Super Tuesday states. The presidential hopeful’s campaign paid a reported $250,000 to air the 30-second spot in select markets. The Washington Post/Associated Press (2/3)

Special House panel to hold hearing on Microsoft-Yahoo! merger
The House Judiciary Committee’s Task Force on Antitrust and Competition Policy is scheduled on Friday to hold a hearing on Microsoft’s $44.6 billion bid to acquire Yahoo!, Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., said. “Microsoft’s bid to acquire Yahoo is certainly one of the largest technology mergers we’ve seen and presents important issues regarding the competitive landscape of the Internet,” Conyers said. Multichannel News (2/3)

• Google reaches out to Yahoo! to thwart Microsoft bid: Google reportedly is offering to assist Yahoo! in any effort to fend off a $44.6 billion unsolicited takeover bid from Microsoft. It’s not clear what kind of help Google is offering, but Google could help Yahoo!’s bottom line by taking on search advertising functions for the beleaguered portal, or by encouraging other companies to submit competing bids. It’s unlikely that Google would bid to acquire Yahoo! on its own, because of anti-competitive issues. The Wall Street Journal (free content) (2/4), The Washington Post/Reuters (2/4)