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Polo, JC Penney Tie the Knot for Biggest Penney Launch Ever

Polo Ralph Lauren and JC Penney have teamed to launch American Living, an extensive, relatively upscale line of clothing and home furnishings.

Advertisers Challenge Big Three on ‘Integration Fees’

The American Association of Advertising Agencies and the Association of National Advertisers will release a policy paper at the ANA 2008 TV forum next week that aims to push the Big Three networks to reconsider their policy of charging “integration fees.”

Ofcom to Conduct Spot-Checks of Call-In Shows

Britain’s Office of Communications (Ofcom) will begin making spot-checks of TV broadcasters to be sure they are complying with some new license conditions the independent regulator is putting into place come March.

Clear Channel TV Sale Hits Choppy Waters

Clear Channel has filed a lawsuit against the private equity firm that agreed to acquire its 56 TV stations, claiming that Providence Equity Partners is dragging its feet.

Martha Stewart, Emeril Get Hitched

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia has purchased the rights to the Emeril Lagasse franchise of cookbooks, TV shows and kitchen products for $45 million in cash and $5 million in stock.

Top 50 U.S. Web Rankings Issued for January, Tax and Politics Sites Surge

Yahoo Sites again edged out Google Sites among U.S. web properties with 138 million visitors vs. nearly 135 million, as traffic to the tax, politics, career, real estate and travel category sites also increased, according to a monthly analysis by comScore’s Media Metrix service, reports MarketingCharts.

ARF Forms Formal Engagement Council

The Advertising Research Foundation has created what it is calling the Engagement Council that is intended to take up where an informal task force left off by taking action on some of its efforts.

Stations See New Ad Opps with Digital Switch

Television stations see the conversion to digital TV next year as an advertising opportunity.

Reader’s Digest Launches ‘Healthy Cooking, Shutters ‘Light & Tasty’

Axed

Reader’s Digest plans to launch a new magazine, Healthy Cooking; Light & Tasty will no longer publish.

DVR Use Moves Prime Time to Late Evening, Increases TV Viewing

As digital video recorder (DVR) use has increased, so has time spent watching television - both throughout the day and during prime time - according to The Nielsen Company, writes MarketingCharts.

ABC Hopes ‘Feel Good Sunday’ Makes You Cry

ABC and TV Guide have embraced tissue-pack advertising, using tissues branded with the shows Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Oprah’s Big Give.

One More Top Editor Booted at L.A. Times

Montorio

In the latest shakeup at the country’s fourth-largest paper, a Los Angeles Times managing editor, John Montorio, will leave at the end of the month. His departure comes at the request of the newspaper’s new editor, Russ Stanton.

Share Spread between Satellite Co.’s Indicates Imminent Approval

Junior Justice officials were given a final chance to make their case against the proposed XM-Sirius deal last week, before Antitrust Division Chief Thomas Barnett approves the merger, an inside source told the New York Post.

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