Which Cold-Country TV Market Might Get the 2014 Super Bowl?

While the Super Bowl is usually played in warm weather cities like San Diego, Miami, Tampa or New Orleans, the NFL is poised to look further north for 2014.

The New York Times reports that the NFL may reward the New Jersey Meadowlands sports complex with the 2014 Super Bowl. 

The new Giants/Jets stadium will host the event, which would be the first time the biggest NFL game of the season was played in the top TV market.

The announcement could be made in May 2010. Dallas is scheduled to host in 2011, followed by Indianapolis and New Orleans. 

-- Allison J. Waldman

ABC Announces Partial List of 2010 Oscar Advertisers

ABC announced Friday a partial list of advertisers who have bought spots during the 82nd Academy Awards, airing live on March 7.

The companies include Ameriprise, CBS Films, Hershey, Microsoft, McDonald's, JC Penney, Kimberly-Clark,  Church and Dwight, Samsung, Summit Entertainment and Walt Disney Pictures. 

Also included on the list is Hyundai, who have a bit of finagling to do with its advertisements as the voice of Hyundai's ads, Jeff Bridges, is nominated for "Crazy Heart." 

The Wrap points out that Oscar ad rules force Hyundai to select its ad time carefully, as an ad with Bridges' voice cannot air within one hour of the category he's nominated. The Academy says it's to show a complete separation between ad and broadcast content.  

Expect even more names to be announced next week at the date draws closer.

-- Allison J. Waldman and Andrew Krukowski

Animal Planet Doubles Down on 'Pit Boss'

Animal Planet is ordering an additional 14 hour-long episodes of "Pit Boss," B&C reports.  

The unscripted series follows "Shorty" Rossi, a little person and former convict, who is now involved in rescuing abused pit bulls in the Los Angeles area.

"Boss" premiered earlier this year, and its sixth and final episode of the first season is set to air on Feb. 27. The second batch of episodes are slated to air this summer.

--Andrew Krukowski 

Carell, Fey, Stiller, Cohen to Present on Oscarcast

The stars of NBC's "The Office" and "30 Rock," respectively -- Steve Carell and Tina Fey -- will be among the presenters on ABC's telecast of the Oscars, March 7, reports People magazine.

Sasha Baron Cohen, who was reportedly the producer's top choice for host of the show but rejected by the network, will also be presenting. Ben Stiller and Jason Bateman are also slated to be at the podium.

The Oscars will be hosted by Fey's fellow "30 Rock" star Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. 

-- Allison J. Waldman

'The Office's' Craig Robinson Lands 'Last Comic Standing' Gig

"The Office's" Craig Robinson has been chosen by NBC to emcee the latest edition of "Last Comic Standing," reports The Wrap.

Robinson plays Darryl, a sarcastic attendant who heads up the Dunder-Mifflin warehouse in Scranton, on "The Office." 

"Comic" is returning to NBC this summer following a two-year sabbatical. Robinson is taking over from Bill Bellamy, who hosted the show's last season in summer 2008. 

--Allison J. Waldman

Roger Ebert to Make Rare TV Appearance on 'Oprah'

Film critic and former television personality Roger Ebert will make a reare on-air appearance as a  guest on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on March 2, according to the Boston Globe.

Ebert is unable to speak because of complications from cancer. However, he will use a computerized voice to communicate with Oprah.

Winfrey has credited Ebert with her success, saying that Ebert pushed her towards moving her Chicago-local show into national syndication. 

-- Allison J. Waldman

'Idol' Over Olympics in Ratings ... Yet Again

A special Thursday night "American Idol" continued to surpass the Winter Olympics coverage on NBC in adults 18-49 ratings, tvbythenumbers.com reports. 

"Idol" posted a 6.4 rating in the 18- to 49-year-old demo in the 8 o'clock hour versus the Olympics 4.4 rating. Following "Idol," "Kitchen Nightmares" racked up a 3.5 rating in the same demographic, the second-highest rating for the series. 

NBC held on to a 5.8 rating in the 18-49 demo for the night, which is off 17% from last week and 28% from the same Thursday of the 2006 Torino Olympics. 

CBS' "Survivor" was also in the mix at 8 p.m., grabbing a 3.7 rating, dipping 5% from last week. Finally, ABC's disappointing "The Deep End" washed up with a 1.1 rating for its season finale. 

-- Andrew Krukowski

Rock and Romano Booked for 'Sykes' Roundtable

Fox's "The Wanda Sykes Show" has landed some of the largest comedy names in the show's short history for Saturday, The Wrap reports. 

Chris Rock and Ray Romano have been booked for Sykes' panel discussion, along with "Curb Your Enthusiasm's" Cheryl Hines and Colin Quinn.

Sykes is also unveiling a pre-taped interview with comedian Eddie Izzard. 

-- Allison J. Waldman

BBC America Sets Debut Date of New 'Doctor Who'

BBC America will unveil the newest incarnation of the sci-fi hit "Doctor Who" when the show premieres on the network April 17.

The new "Who" is actor Matt Smith, taking over for David Tennant, who last played the Doctor at the beginning of the year.

Smith is the 11th Time Lord to be zipping through time and across the universe in the TARDIS, and he'll have a new traveling companion, Amy Pond,  played by Karen Gillan.

-- Allison J. Waldman

Andrew Koenig’s Body Found; Father Says It's Suicide

Father Walter Koenig held a teary press conference Thursday night to announce that the body of his son, “Growing Pains” actor Andrew Koenig, had been found in a Vancouver park, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Koenig, who made an appeal to those who are depressed to reach out before making any final decisions, said that “My son took his own life."

The younger Koenig had been the subject of a police search after going missing Feb. 18. His parents and friends had also been combing Vancouver’s vast Stanley Park and one team found the body.

--Elizabeth Jensen