ABC-owned stations revamp Web sites to be more like TV
ABC’s 10 owned-and-operated TV stations are relaunching their Web sites with
new features, including large Flash video players, “customizable”
control panels and beefed-up VOD platforms, intended to make the sites
more closely resemble the TV experience. Broadcasting & Cable

Reality TV could flood prime time as WGA strike continues
CBS and NBC are among the major broadcast networks that are modifying their
programming schedules to replace scripted series with reality
shows. The New York Times

Imus: CBS right to fire him, pledges not to make same mistake again
Don Imus, during his debut broadcast on Monday on New York’s WABC,
acknowledged his former employer, CBS Radio, was right to fire him over
offensive remarks he made about the Rutgers women’s basketball team and
pledged never to commit the same offense again. “I will never say
anything in my lifetime that will make these women regret that they
accepted my apology and forgave me,” Imus said. Radio Ink

Imus makes pay, tape-delay concessions to get back on air
Although ad demand reportedly is strong and top political and media figures are
willing to appear on his new WABC-New York show, controversial radio
talker Don Imus has taken a significant pay cut and agreed to a
21-second delay to get back on the airwaves. Imus’ new five-year pact
with Citadel Broadcasting reportedly will pay him $5 million to $8
million a year, a drop from his $10 million yearly salary at CBS, which
had him on a five-second tape delay. The New York Observer

Media buyer: Super Bowl ad-demand highest since 1999
Optimum Sports’ head of sports media, Tom McGovern, explains the enduring
demand for Super Bowl ads, in an interview with The Wall Street
Journal. He notes that demand for this season’s game is higher than any
year since the dot-com boom, saying, “For mass brands and
mega-multibillion-dollar brands, reach is still critical.” The Wall Street Journal

TV networks offer new tools to move advertisers online
ABC, NBC and Turner Entertainment have introduced special tools and services
to help marketers introduce interactive components to their campaigns,
via repurposed and new Net ads. Mediaweek

Comcast, Time Warner Cable won’t enter wireless auction
The country’s two largest cable providers — Comcast and Time Warner Cable
– said they would not participate in the auction next January of
700-megahertz frequency. Reuters