The AWRT Women's Media Forum will be held March 5-7, 2009, at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Washington.

Sen. Bernard Sanders is about to introduce legislation that would require cable operators to provide local TV signals at a reduced cost indefinitely to people who lose over-the-air TV service as a result of the digital transition next February.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin poked fun at Comcast, himself and others in his last turn presiding at the FCBA's chairman's dinner. Former NAB President Eddie Fritts was the warm-up act: "We were trying to come up with an entrée tonight in Kevin's honor and the cable guys suggested we serve Champagne and Lame Duck."

Organizers of the conventions and conferences that mark the broadcast calendar are worried that broadcasters' economic woes will lead to lower attendance and fewer exhibitors. Already, one popular gathering—TVB's spring marketing conference—has been put on hiatus.

Borrell Associates raised eyebrows recently with its bleak prediction that online ad spending will top out next year. But following a brief radio silence, industry thought leaders are responding — and in some cases, challenging the research firm's prognosis.

Now that the predicted recession is a reality, it seems clear that an array of traditional media, magazines, newspapers and radio are taking hits in ad revenue and profitability. Based on past recessions, it seems likely that broadcast will also suffer major losses. But cable TV could benefit or bust during the downturn, depending on cable companies' strategy for large-scale interactive advertising.

Executives running businesses from hair salons to giant utilities are hunkering down by trimming capital spending budgets, delaying plant construction, laying off workers and skimping on pay increases. Business leaders put large fiscal stimulus atop their to-do list for Barak Obama.