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Hot consumers, advertising mess
Sep 22, 2011
A reality show debuting soon on BET is testing the limits of its advertisers. Before it's even aired "Hot Ghetto Mess" has some consumers threatening boycotts, and some advertisers pulling their spots. Elizabeth Wynne Johnson has the story.
Beware duty-free shopping wizardry
Sep 1, 2007
Airport terminals may not be especially magical places, but watch out for witchcraft in all the airport shops, warns commentator Moira Manion. She's found clever forces at work to separate us from our money.
Let the gaming console price wars begin
Sep 22, 2011
Last week Microsoft said it wasn't going to lower the price of the Xbox 360, but the company appears to be changing its tune following Sony's announced markdown of its Playstation 3. They're both trying to lure gamers away from Nintendo's top-selling Wii.
Will new cable boxes change anything?
John Dimsdale Sep 1, 2007
Cable TV companies are now required to give customers a new kind of set-top box. It will come with a little card that lets customers go out and buy or lease their own box. What happens then depends on who you ask. John Dimsdale reports.
Sony seeking songwriters
Sep 22, 2011
Recording giant Sony BMG is trying to renegotiate a contract with Michael Jackson to allow the company to get into the publishing side of the music industry. Times of London's Dan Sabbagh says it all depends how big a check they're ready to write.
Roswell cashing in on UFO business
Janet Babin Sep 1, 2007
For better or worse, the legendary UFO incident of 1947 forever changed the town of Roswell, New Mexico, but somewhere along the line its residents learned to embrace the folklore. And cash in on it. Janet Babin explains.
Happy 4th! Please return your kegs
Sep 1, 2007
Keg thieves are tapping into the beer industry's collective bottom line, siphoning off over $40 million a year, into scrap metal mostly. The Beer Institute's Jeff Becker tells us how they're making off with so many empty kegs, and what's being done about it.
Firecracker fun made in China
John Dimsdale Sep 1, 2007
Fireworks are as American as apple pie and the Fourth of July, except that almost all of them are made in China. So how do we know if they're safe? The industry acted to defuse that issue nearly 20 years ago, but it's not failsafe, John Dimsdale reports.
Tequila puts agave on the hog cycle
Dan Grech Sep 1, 2007
Back in the late '90s, tequila made such a big splash in U.S. pop culture that it drove up the price of agave, the spiky plant used to make Mexico's national liquor. The events that followed tell an age-old story in agriculture. Dan Grech explains.
Moving up a blockbuster's payday
Tess Vigeland Sep 1, 2007
People involved in a hit movie can reap big bucks if they sign a profit-participation deal. But it can take years to get the money. So, a new company is offering cash upfront for rights to future earnings. Tess Vigeland talked with its CEO, Steve Kram.
