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Criticism of the FCC's Chairman Is Widely Aired (LAT)
Critics usually blame Kevin Martin, a soft-spoken Republican known as a political tactician who has accomplished the rare feat of being criticized by all four of his fellow commissioners. He is also facing a congressional inquiry into the FCC's procedures and allegations of flawed research studies, suppressing data, ignoring public input and holding hearings with minimal notice.

MTV Makes Gains (NYP)
For the first time in more than two years television viewers want their MTV. The youth entertainment channel has climbed out of ratings hell and is enjoying a sustained bump up among its core youth viewers for the first time since August 2005. MTV, which has barely registered any social impact over that span has posted year-over-year ratings gains for the three months ended Nov. 30.

Satellite TV on the Move, at Fox News (NYT)
As the beginning of primary season approaches, Fox News Channel is introducing a pair of satellite reporting units capable of broadcasting live video while on the move. The vehicles, two retrofitted sport utilities, had an early debut on Nov. 30 during a hostage incident at Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign office in Rochester, N.H., and are already raising interest and questions about their potential influence on live television news reporting.

Obama and the Oprah Effect (CSM)
"The problem with most celebrity endorsements is that there's no transferability between their talent and real credibility," says Howard Davidowitz, chairman of Davidowitz & Associates, a retail investment banking firm. "Oprah is different. Oprah has an army out there that really listens. She's one of the great marketing machines in history."

Media Hit New Lows? (Marketwatch)
Jon Friedman: Just when you figure that the media's image couldn't sink lower in society's eyes, the reputation of my profession finds ways to crash through the floor, yet again. The media are accustomed to accusations of hype, inaccuracy and general foolishness. But charges of hypocrisy cut deep because these get to the heart of what we say we try to do: tell the truth in an impartial way. Let me count the ways.

Study: Huge Growth in Store for Online TV (Variety)
Some 38.4 million homes worldwide will receive TV via the Internet by 2012, according to research by Informa Telecoms and Media. "In the shorter term we are forecasting 10.6 million IPTV households by the end of 2007, double the 2006 figure," said Adam Thomas, Informa media research manager. "Much of the growth has come from service launches by European telcos."

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