A promotional army of zero

This just in:

• "The U.S. Army has reissued request for proposals for its ad contract, estimated at $200 million." (Media Daily News) This is the second time the Army has tried to change advertisers. Which likely means the shop that they couldn't dump (which I think was Leo Burnett), dumped the Army. I can't imagine why. Their product practically sells itself!
• When low-rated makeover shows get re-upped, it’s a given the producers will call their own wrecking crew of 200 in to smash down everything. Hence this from NBC Universal and Bunim-Murray: “The innovative, critically-acclaimed series has broken with its own tradition and started the season with a surprise: men have joined women in the STARTING OVER house. The third season starts with four couples moving into a new STARTING OVER house in Southern California's San Fernando Valley.” But they won’t be doing porn. Well, unless it’s part of their “empowerment agenda” for turning their lives around. And making some serious moolah.
• FX is going to start double-running its Thursday comedies, "Starved" and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," Tuesdays after "Rescue Me." This is not a shocker. Thursday is a brand new night for the cable channel, and "Philadelphia," at least, deserves a bigger audience than it's getting.
• What is it with these silly mini-renewals? Okay, eight new "Sopranos" episodes, I get that that's a big deal. But two extra eps of "Being Bobby Brown"? And now this from Comedy Central, announcing that "The network has extended the first season run of cable television's hottest comedian and his critically-acclaimed variety/comedy series, Mind of Mencia, by 3 episodes, with the season now running through September 28." Big whoop. Like we were counting the days till the finale!

Comments

[Mark Jeffries]

It was Burnett--their last contract was only for six months.