THE WGA and AMPTP will resume talks this morning. Negotiations will occur in an undisclosed location and a press blackout is in effect. The WGA reminded writers to return to picket lines even as the new round of talks begins.
FIREBRAND will launch tonight on ION Television, offering users TV ads as entertainment. The show will seamlessly mix unpaid “entertaining” ads with paid spots from advertisers. Firebrand will be available on TV, cellphones and Firebrand.com.
THE FCC will vote tomorrow on Kevin Martin’s proposal to increase regulation over the cable industry based on his claim that the 70/70 rule is in effect. That argument came under increased scrutiny when Wall Street cable analyst Craig Moffett issued a report to FCC member Jonathan Adelstein. Moffett’s report is based on an extensive study of regulatory filings by cable companies and finds that cable penetration is around 60%.
FACEBOOK and ABC NEWS will team up to sponsor Democratic and Republican debates on January 5th. The partnership will also bring ABC News content to a special section of Facebook.com. Users will be able to track ABC reporters, watch video and participate in polls. The deal is reportedly a simple value exchange with no money changing hands.
EU REGULATORS have vowed to take a long, hard look at targeted online advertising. The Union’s Article 29 Working Party will add privacy concerns raised by online advertising to its agenda for the new year. The topic has gained increased attention since Facebook began Project Beacon, which tracks user purchases on third-party sites. Moveon.org began an anti-Beacon user group in protest and it was quickly joined by over 20,000 users.