Business News

• Charter sets tentative retransmission deals with Belo stations
  St. Louis-based Charter Communications apparently has reached tentative retransmission deals with three TV stations owned by Belo Corp., according to this report. The stations are KMOV-TV in St. Louis, a CBS affiliate; WVEC-TV in Norfolk, Va., an ABC affiliate; and WCNC-TV in Charlotte, N.C., an NBC station. WCNC-TV (Charlotte, N.C.) (12/27) , Multichannel News (12/28)

• A changing of the guard at the FCC
  When the calendar page turns to 2009 it also will mark the beginning of a new era for the FCC, one that will include overseeing the transition to all-digital TV signals and the expansion of broadband availability. Shortly after President-elect Barack Obama takes office late next month he'll name a new chairman of the powerful commission -- possibly either Michael Copps or Jonathan Adelstein. San Francisco Chronicle/Cox News Service (12/28)

• Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
  The Ski Channel made its debut Christmas Day in 15 million households, thanks to distributors such as Time Warner Cable, Cox and Bright House. In addition to traditional schussing, the video-on-demand channel offers programming about snowboarding, hiking, biking, backpacking, climbing, snowshoe racing and other mountain sports. Broadcasting & Cable (12/26)

• Other News

• MLB Network limbers up for New Year's Day premiere
  Advertising Age (12/29)

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Programming News

• Hallmark Channel gets ready to run 3 marathons
  The Hallmark Channel has slated three days of marathon programming leading up to and following New Year's Day. The event kicks off with a 9 a.m. screening Dec. 31 of "Felicity: An American Girl Adventure" and wraps up with an episode of "I Love Lucy" at 9 p.m. Jan. 2. Multichannel News (12/28)

• USA debuts "To Love & Die"
  USA on Tuesday premieres "To Love & Die," a telefilm starring Shari Appleby and Tim Matheson. The story revolves around a woman who tracks down her long-lost father only to find out that he kills people for a living. Multichannel News (12/27)

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Eye on Video

• DTV converter coupons become a hot ticket
  Congress may need to act quickly in January in order to provide funds so everyone who requests $40 government coupons for digital converter boxes can get them, according to a Department of Commerce spokeswoman, who expects a last-minute rush. According to this report, the $1.34 billion limit set on the program may be reached the first week in January. Reuters (12/26)

Marketing Trends

• U.K. firm gives advertisers an online curtain call
  A British firm named Blinkx has figured out a new way to get advertisers involved in online video. The company has developed a system, called "un-roll," which integrates an advertiser's logo into a digital version of cinema curtains that open up to present the video. The Guardian (London) (12/29)

• Twitter becomes a winner for big marketers
  SMS-based social network Twitter.com is becoming an important part of the marketing mix for companies looking to humanize their brands. "There's something so gratifying about being able to connect in real-time and in a real way," said a spokesperson for Dunkin' Donuts. ClickZ (12/29) , TVWeek.com (12/28)

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by CTAM SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• New VC firm looks for next generation of innovation (Light Reading)

• Time Warner faces life after Time Warner Cable (The Wall Street Journal)

• Insight now full steam ahead on the digital front (Multichannel News)

• Tennis Channel serves up new corporate structure (TVWeek.com)

• Good news/bad news for Hulu (Advertising Age)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Advanced Products

• "Flight of the Conchords" finds perfect landing online
  The premiere episode of the second season of HBO's "Flight of the Conchords" accumulated 250,000 views in its first 10 days on the Web site FunnyOrDie.com, according to this report. FunnyOrDie.com was co-founded by comedian Will Ferrell and is partially owned by HBO. The Hollywood Reporter (12/28)

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Association News

• Share your research genius
  Have you conducted a research case study that is just pure genius? Enter it in the 2009 CTAM Research Conference Case Study Competition at ResearchCaseStudies@ctam.com. Winners will receive an award at the popular opening-night dinner and present their case study at the conference, April 5 to 7 in Washington.

• Breakthrough multi-platform research!
  Get the complete story of what's happening now in consumer consumption of entertainment across platforms (on linear TV, online and via mobile) and what's coming down the road! Two comprehensive studies designed by senior industry research executives from the CTAM Research Committee -- get this affordable and strategy-defining roadmap for 2008-09 now! Order here!

People & Personalities

• Carlin to suit up for SportsNet New York
  SportsNet New York, the network owned by Comcast, Time Warner Cable and the New York Mets, has named Chris Carlin pre- and post-game host for Mets games. Carlin will leave his post at sports-radio station WFAN to take on the new duties. Multichannel News (12/27)

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SmartQuote

My recipe for life is not being afraid of myself, afraid of what I think or of my opinions." --Eartha Kitt, American actress and singer