"Turd bird," anyone? One major media company may be using this unfortunate name to attract buyers to a key asset. That's how Rupert Murdoch, chairman of News Corp. which owns 38 percent of DirecTV, described DirecTV on CNBC.

What if fans had voted that Mick Jagger should have fronted The Beatles? Would that be a good entertainment business decision? That's what some entertainment enterprises are being built around these days.

"Staying power" is how Les Moonves describes the fact that the network business is the best game in town. But don't get too high and mighty just yet, broadcast executives....

Bravo's broadband channel, Brilliant But Cancelled, is running a contest letting viewers predict which of the 24 new broadcast network shows will be cancelled this season. Bravo misses a bit here--what about cable, what about syndication?

Are you moved by the network evening newscasts? Emotionally torn? Joyously thrilled? Warmly comforted? It could be those expensive themes that grandiose film composers such as John Williams or James Horner have been orchestrating for your listening and dancing pleasures.

In boxing terms, ABC's "The Path to 9/11" and CBS' "9/11" have been hit with a nice series of financially depressing combination punches.

Almost half of all the $15.2 million in entertainment contributions politicians are getting this year come from cable and broadcasting companies--companies that sell advertising time. So that means even if a company's political agenda doesn't become a reality--if a man, woman, or proposition isn't voted in--money can still come back to them indirectly.

Tom Freston's longstanding status in fronting the house band at Viacom Inc. has played his last set, which begs the question: Is everyone at CBS or Viacom merely at a Sumner Redstone audition, no matter how recent the hire?

Has MTV been YouTubed and MySpaced out of some "Video Music Awards" ratings--its perennial top-rated musical award show?

Ready to do some high-profile, high-priced branded entertainment deals? Cut back on your usual $4.25 Starbucks latte, give it to the valet at the studio, and you're in. Contrary to public opinion--and the $15 million or so you need to be a big branded entertainment sponsor of "Survivor"--it actually comes way cheap, according to Edelman Public Relations.