The CW marketing philosophy was old-fashioned and basic: do not give the show to anybody. Not to Web sites that might stream it or critics who might savage it.

The producer Nigel Lythgoe is leaving “American Idol” to concentrate on another Fox reality series and a new joint venture with Simon Fuller, the creator of “Idol.”

Name-brand products make regular appearances on television shows, where they are typically written into a drama. But TV News? You bet.

Tom Rothman, the co-chairman of Fox Filmed Entertainment, has developed a cult following for his historical monologues and self-deprecating style on the show “Fox Legacy.”

Fox has seen its once formidable advantage over CNN erode in this presidential election year, as both CNN and MSNBC have added viewers at far more dramatic rates.

Big brands have been borrowing for their marketing efforts characters from “Family Guy,” which has been criticized for everything from anti-Semitism and sexism to homophobia.

It appears that broadcasters may have matched the $9.1 billion to $9.2 billion they took in last spring before the start of the 2007-8 season.

When the finale of “American Idol” extended past its time slot some viewers who saved the program on digital video recorders missed the announcement of the winner.

One broadcasting trend being noticed by executives at media agencies is a growing reliance on series concepts from abroad.

Aside from Fox, the changed pattern of how the networks presented their plans for September left fundamental questions unanswered.