Dow Jones Re-org Combines Print, Web Pubs

In a major initiative under new CEO Richard Zannino, Dow Jones & Co. announced a major reorganization of the company into three business units, reports BtoB Online (via MarketingVOX). As part of the move, the print and web editions of the Wall Street Journal will be combined under the Consumer Media Group, which will include MarketWatch, Barron’s and SmartMoney. L. Gordon Crovitz, head of electronic publishing operations, will head the new unit as EVP of Dow Jones, president of Dow Jones Consumer Media Group and publisher of The Wall Street Journal Franchise.

“This new structure and leadership team is a major first step in transforming Dow Jones from a channel-focused publishing company to a franchise-, market- and customer-focused media company,” Zannino, named CEO in January, said in a statement.

Verklin: Search Becoming Marketing’s Lifeblood

Living life has been and remains, as exemplified by web search, a process of searching for what we want or need - and the job of advertisers is to provide answers. Though that’s not exactly what he said, CEO David Verklin of Carat Americas, speaking at the Yahoo Search Marketing summit, did say that search has become vital to marketing and advertising, writes MediaPost (via MarketingVOX). “Search is becoming the behavior of choice,” he is quoted as saying. “Our job as advertisers is to put our clients’ products in the path of search behavior.”

Billboard, MSN Launch Latino Music Website

Billboard and MSN are partnering to produce a co-branded Spanish-language Latino music website, intending for it to become the “ultimate destination for Latin music lovers,” the companies announced, according to MarketingVox. The site aims to capitalize on the annual Billboard Latin Music Conference & Awards, presented by Heineken in association with Burger King. It will feature articles covering the event, Billboard reviews of archived albums for the 2006 Billboard Latin Music Award nominees, and photos from the event.

Seven Make Cut in P&G Realignment of Interactive Roster

For the first time since 2002, Procter & Gamble has realigned its interactive agency roster, which now lists seven shops, adding new ones and dropping old ones, and recognizing one that had picked up a large P&G account without formal roster status, reports AdAge (via MarketingVox). Left off the roster are WhittmanHart Interactive, Chicago; WPP Group’s Grey Interactive, New York; and Omnicom Group’s Targetbase, Irving, Texas (the latter will continue database marketing work for P&G).

New Service Offers Event Attendance Auditing

BPA Worldwide Events and Exhibit Surveys will offer event attendance auditing and attendee research for b-to-b and consumer events, BtoB reports. The offering, Events Insights, give companies independently certified attendance numbers plus demographic information collected through the registration process, combined with attendee buying power, and audience activity and satisfaction data collected through a survey.

News Corp. Announces Mini-Network for UPN/WB Orphan Stations

The nine News Corp. stations that will lose their network affiliations when The WB and UPN merge to form The CW now have another programming choice, with News Corp’s announcement today that it will create a new broadcast channel/network/service call My Network TV, Broadcasting & Cable reports. So far, one independent network has signed on for the service, but News Corp. executives are scrambling to sign up others.

NBC’s Daytona 500 Breaks Ratings Record

The NASCAR season’s opening race, the Daytona 500 on NBC, averaged an 11.3 household rating and a share of 23, setting a new record for the sport’s premier, writes Media Life. Last year’s race on Fox was tied with NBC’s 2002 race for the best ever ratings of a 10.9 household rating and a share of 23.

Trump, Stewart Get ‘Fired’ Up over ‘Apprentice’ Competition

Newsweek has been the recent battleground for a series of “he said, she said” commentary between Martha Stewart and Donald Trump that has the reality TV show hosts defending their respective versions of The Apprentice, Media Life writes.

HD Radio Alliance Launches $200 Million Ad Campaign

To better compete with satellite radio and the internet, the HD Radio Alliance launched a $200 million ad campaign Tuesday that promotes its new terrestrial-based digital radio broadcasting technology in the U.S., BtoB writes.

PBS Brings Back ‘Monty Python’

In a six-episode introduction entitled Monty Python’s Personal Best, PBS will bring the current generation the funniest moments from the 1970s BBC TV series Monty Python’s Flying Circus, writes Media Life.