NBC's web-only series In Gayle We Trust has broken the barrier on digital series’ success and proven that an insurance agent, played by Elisa Donovan (Clueless, Beverly Hills 90210, Sabrina The Teenage Witch), can become a star.

A branded entertainment partnership between NBC Universal and media agency Mindshare, the series — backed by AmFam, or American Family Insurance — launched in 2009 and was renewed last year.

By season two, Gayle had doubled viewership from 18 million to 34.9 million. Season three, which launches this week, centers on a newcomer who is creating a musical, aptly titled Policies! Policies!

“In Gayle We Trust delivers quality entertainment in a manner that both keeps viewers coming back for more and aligns with the values of the sponsor. American Family Insurance beckons the insurance-buying public to allow us to protect their dreams,” said Telisa Yancy, advertising director.

Emmy Award-nominated actor Fred Willard and Richard Karn (Home Improvement) make cameos in season three, with Anthony Q. Farrell (The Office) as writer and Jason Farrand (Head Case) director.Continue reading...

Netflix announced in July that it was going to expand to 43 Latin American and Caribbean countries by year’s end. Now it is known where a good chunk of content for that marketplace is coming from.

Telemundo International recently announced a program-licensing deal with Netflix, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Telemundo, owned by NBC Universal, will be providing 1,200 hours of content to Netflix annually that Latin American subscribers can get via streaming, the Reporter notes.

Netflix is already getting 3,000 hours of content from Televisa as well as 1,500 hours from Azteca.

In April, Netflix announced it had 23.6 million subscribers. It looks to increase that number substantially once it begins streaming content in Latin America.

Hollywood's wagons are circling against content theft with a new coalition, Creative America, to fight piracy and protect creative works and jobs.

The entertainment industry coalition states “that halting the looting of America’s creative works and protecting jobs must be a national priority."

Statistics cited on the group's homepage:

• Websites trafficking in stolen film and TV content get nearly 150 million visits every day, more than 50 billion visits per year. 
• Content theft isn’t just about movies. TV shows are illegally streamed and downloaded millions of times each week.  
• Content theft threatens over 2 million jobs supported by the film and televisio n industry in all 50 states and D.C. 
• The vast majority of workers in film and TV are middle class, earning $55K a year on average. These are the people hurt by content theft.  
• Content theft has already cost 140,000 U.S. jobs, along with $5 billion in wages and revenues for residuals and pensions. 

The founding members — including NBC Universal, SAG, Sony Pictures Entertainment, AFTRA, CBS, the DGA, IATSE, Twentieth Century Fox, Viacom, Disney and Warner Bros. — call themselves a “grassroots organization” supporting 2 million Americans whose jobs are in creative fields.Continue reading...

Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose named NBA MVP.

Pac-10 signs $3 billion, 12-year deal with FOX and ESPN, the richest ever for a college conference, and plans its own TV network under looming Pac-12 name.

Pfizer weighs break-up.

Apple revamps iMac line.

BlackBerry and Microsoft team up to battle Google search.

BP to pay $85 million for 2006 Alaska oil spill.

CBS picks 60 Minutes reporter Scott Pelley as Katie Couric replacement.Continue reading...

Aflac casting call for duck role inspires American Idol-type passions.

Apple asks Toyota to pull Scion-branded ad campaign for jailbroken iPhones. 

Berkshire Hathaway and Warren Buffett are dogged by conflict-of-interest charges.

Blockbuster sells to Dish Network at auction for $320M.

BMW has a huge “green” advantage over rival Daimler, says analyst.

BP prepares to face investors’ wrath as Transocean executives to donate safety bonuses to families of Gulf blast victims.Continue reading...

Look, we know the economy is bad and times are tough and the future is unknown. And we know that a brand looks at itself, and down at the precious logo cradled in its arms, and wonders if it's doing everything it can, if it maybe isn't doing enough. After a while, we understand — the brand just feels like it has to do something. Anything.

But seriously, would brands all stop destroying the most recognizable elements of themselves. Please? Because it's starting to drive us nuts. Now we have to deal with what Comcast hath wrought with NBC Universal — sorry, NBCUniversal.Continue reading...

Amazon's "disappointing" earnings reveals that Kindle books now outstrip paperback sales on site.

Comcast dumps peacock from NBC Universal (make that NBCUniversal) corporate logo.

Girl Scout cookies are under threat.

Heineken shares insights on emerging markets at Davos.

Kinect gives Microsoft much-needed sales boost.

LinkedIn files to go public.

MAC Cosmetics is preparing to unleash a Wonder Woman collection.Continue reading...

Comcast held a town hall meeting today at its Philadelphia HQ to welcome the thousands of NBC Universal employees worldwide it's now home to, thanks to last week's FCC/DOJ blessing — all except one.

Missing in action as America's cable giant announced its commitment to the s-word (synergy): NBC's iconic peacock.

Staffers received welcome packages emblazoned with a restyled NBCUniversal (one word) logo on a purple background.

While the colorful tail feathers have been plucked from NBCU's corporate identity, new NBCU head Steve Burke reassured everyone that it would be "a part of NBC and CNBC and MSNBC for years to come," according to Variety.

Farewell to this — let's face it, better — logo: