US-INDUSTRY Summary (Reuters)

FCC chief would cut min. bid on D block airwaves

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. communications regulator will propose halving the minimum opening bid on a piece of potentially valuable wireless spectrum, after an earlier auction failed to attract industry interest. The Federal Communications Commission will likely vote Thursday on a plan devised by agency chairman Kevin Martin, cutting to $750 million a prior $1.3 billion minimum bid, and easing other requirements.

Ad spending in steepest drop since 2001

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Advertising spending in the second quarter suffered its biggest drop since the last U.S. recession, declining 3.7 percent as corporations responded to economic worries by curtailing their marketing budgets, a new report shows. The TNS Media Intelligence report, released on Wednesday, suggests that steep drops in expenditures from the automotive, telecommunications and retail categories were to blame for the largest U.S. spending decline in any quarter since 2001.

Universal, Relativity extend financing partnership

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Universal Pictures and Relativity Media LLC on Wednesday said they nearly tripled their co-financing deal to between $2.5 billion and $3 billion, as Hollywood keeps making deals amid Wall Street's chaos. The deal between Relativity and General Electric Co's Universal -- increased from $1 billion -- comes on the heels of two film financing deals last week, one for Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks SKG and one for studio Media Rights Capital.

Ford to run ad using film from Web contest on NBC

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co on Wednesday will run an ad featuring a short film that won an online competition, reflecting how companies are seeking to cut costs while boosting their brand awareness. The 60 second ad shows two aspiring filmmakers and snippets of their film, "Numskull," the winner of the "Mustang Stories" short-movie contest run by online video site Filmaka in conjunction with WPP Group Plc's JWT Team Detroit ad agency and Ford.

Emmy telecast bombs in ratings and reviews

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The 60th annual Primetime Emmys show, roundly panned by critics as perhaps the worst ever, laid a big, fat ratings egg as well, with early figures pointing to the smallest audience in the awards' history. According to preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research, ABC's three-hour Sunday telecast, featuring major wins for "Mad Men" and "30 Rock," averaged 12.2 million viewers, falling just below the historic low of 12.3 million posted by the 1990 ceremony aired on Fox.

Metallica, Run-DMC up for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hip Hop group Run-DMC, heavy metal band Metallica and musician/songwriter Bobby Womack are among nine nominees announced on Monday vying for five spots in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Guitarist Jeff Beck, disco and R&B band Chic, rock and roll singerWanda Jackson, doo-wop group Little Anthony and the Imperials, rock band The Stooges, and the California funk band War were also nominated.

War stories honored at News Emmys

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - The war in Iraq may seem like it's mostly out of the headlines these days, but it was on the minds of the voters Monday night at the News and Documentary Emmys. Stories that were honored centered on wounded veterans and their plight back home, a Marine veteran who videotaped the war in Iraq, family members from an infantry unit of the Iowa National Guard and the battle to get body armor on more troops. A "Bill Moyers Journal" installment about how the Iraq war was marketed and the annual "Iraq: Where Things Stand" on ABC News also won awards.

HBO sweeps Emmys, but upstart AMC grabs top prize

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - HBO swept the prime-time Emmys on Sunday, consolidating its reputation as a powerhouse of U.S. television by winning 26 trophies, thanks mostly to the historical mini-series "John Adams" and the modern political movie "Recount." But despite taking more Emmys than any network, HBO was omitted for the first time in a decade from the prestigious race for best drama series, which went to upstart cable channel AMC with "Mad Men."

"Butter" on indie distributor's plate

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Screen Media Films has picked up Sarah Jessica Parker's racially charged drama "Spinning Like Butter" for North American distribution. Parker produced and stars in director Mark Brokaw's adaptation of the Rebecca Gilman play. She portrays a liberal New England college dean forced to confront hidden prejudices and political correctness when one of her few black students (Paul James) receives anonymous racist letters. Mykelti Williamson, Beau Bridges and Miranda Richardson also star.

Tribune names new publisher of Chicago Tribune

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tribune Co, the closely held media company, tapped Tony Hunter as the Chicago Tribune's new publisher, president and chief executive on Monday. Hunter, 47, was previously senior vice president of circulation and operations and has been with the newspaper since 1994.