Strike forces networks to make tough programming choices
As the writers strike drags on, NBC and the other broadcast networks are reviewing even more carefully than before the kinds of programs they will produce and how these shows can be pitched to advertisers, according to this article. “The strike is forcing us to look at the way we all do business and to make choices that were tough when business was as usual,” said NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker. TVNEWSDAY/Associated Press (free registration)

Would stars cross picket lines to appear on late-night shows?
Late-night producers may have trouble finding stars who are willing to appear when shows return to the air Jan. 2. One publicist anticipated hesitation, citing the harsh response from some when Ellen DeGeneres and Carson Daly’s shows resumed production earlier in the strike. The New York Times

Will home-shopping giants merge?
Top home-shopping channels QVC and HSN reportedly are negotiating a merger that would keep both on the air as separate properties, but have not come to financial terms. The possible deal could be a boon for John Malone, whose Liberty Media controls the parent of the much larger QVC, because it would consolidate the home-shopping market, according to this article. Adweek

“The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” now in HD
“The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” is the first live, regularly broadcast PBS show to air in HD. The episode was filmed at WETA’s new HD studio near Washington, D.C., designed by Communications Engineering. Broadcast Engineering

Consumers face the HDTV price paradox
Prices for high-definition TV sets have dropped even as the technology improves, and consumers are asking if they should buy today or wait for new features and even lower costs in the future. The New York Times

FCC to issue DTV-conversion report this week
The FCC plans this week to release the long-awaited results of its review on the rules and policies affecting the transition from analog to DTV broadcasting. The report is expected to provide broadcasters with a kind of road map for how to proceed with the shift to all-digital broadcasting, according to this article. Broadcasting & Cable