Television Networks

IT was a comedic aside in the sneak peek two weeks ago of the "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff "Private Practice": Three enlightened lady doctors, including series star Kate Walsh, sit in the lobby of their swanky L.A. practice gazing hungrily at the hairless, lean and naked torso of the bobble-headed 20-year-old receptionist as he exits the building to go surf.

NBC New series "Heroes," "30 Rock" and "Friday Night Lights" could become Emmy faves following in the footsteps of "Scrubs," "The Office," "ER" "My Name Is Earl," "Medium," "Law & Order" and "Law & Order: SVU." "The Apprentice" and "The Biggest Loser" clash in the reality-competition race. ABC Rookies "Ugly Betty," "Brothers & Sisters," "Men in Trees" and "October Road" join ABC's Emmy stalwarts "Lost," "Desperate Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Boston Legal."

On a dusty hilltop in Simi Valley, David Naylor and a camera crew were zeroing in on Jake Green, the wayward son of the mayor of a small town that has been isolated by a nuclear holocaust. Naylor, wearing hiking boots and khaki pants, peered into a viewfinder as the hero talked about a fierce battle that had just been waged with rival militias, an Abrams M-1A1 tank parked on a hill in the background. But this wasn't a shoot for "Jericho."

ABC America Ferrera ("Ugly Betty") is Emmy's top ingenue. Past faves in new shows ("Brothers & Sisters") and old ("Desperate Housewives," "Boston Legal") plot a comeback. Other hopefuls: "Lost," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Men in Trees." "Path to 9/11" is major mini contender. NBC New Emmy gold-diggers: Alec Baldwin ("30 Rock") and those "Heroes" and "Friday Night Lights" champs. The network triumphed last year with Mariska Hargitay ("Law & Order: SVU").

The broadcast television networks are flexing their muscle in the ad market once again, despite declining ratings for their shows and worries that the Internet was poaching their audience and their revenue. On Monday, with the annual springtime sales bazaar in full swing, executives at the major networks, including Fox Broadcasting and Walt Disney Co.'s ABC, were making deals with advertisers at significant rate increases over last year.

Broadcast television's annual springtime sales bazaar drew to a close Friday with the five networks surpassing their estimates by ringing up a combined $9.3 billion in commitments for prime-time commercial spots for the coming TV season. The so-called upfront ad market was surprisingly strong this year, with broadcasters increasing their take by about 5% compared with last year despite generally lower ratings.

When it comes to reach, few news organizations rival that of the BBC, the venerable British broadcasting service recognized around the world for its no-nonsense newscasts delivered in crisp, clipped tones. BBC World, the BBC's commercially funded, 24-hour television news channel, now attracts 76 million viewers a week from more than 200 countries, making it one of the biggest international news networks.

PROLIFERATING cable networks -- widely perceived to have expanded experimental and quality television programming beyond the offerings of HBO -- had a scattered showing against the premium cable powerhouse at Thursday's Emmy nominations. Showtime, in particular, had mounted an extensive campaign for its new, critically lauded original programs such as "Dexter," a show starring Michael C. Hall as a sympathetic serial killer, "The Tudors" and "Brotherhood" but came up with just 17 nominations.

After decades of being shunted to the sidelines, Spanish-language media outlets have now joined the big leagues of TV research. Ratings giant Nielsen Media Research today plans to pull the plug on a separate service that it created 15 years ago to measure the size of Latino TV audiences. Latinos are now so important to the overall TV ratings picture that it would be misleading to relegate them to a separate system.

Here's where to watch NFL games this season: CBS This is the network's 48th season of televising the NFL. It has the rights to Sunday day games involving visiting teams from the AFC. Jim Nantz and Phil Simms make up the lead announcing team. Others include Greg Gumbel-Dan Dierdorf, Dick Enberg-Randy Cross and Kevin Harlan-Rich Gannon.