NOTE TO EDITORS: The Following Is an Investment Opinion Being Issued by Bridgewater Equity (BWE).

—MobiTV Adds CBS: MobiTV will offer a CBS (NYSE: CBS) channel as part of its $10/month services, offering full episodes of hits such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Numb3rs, CSI: NY, and The Young and the Restless. The shows will be available on AT&T (NYSE: T) and Sprint (NYSE: S) Nextel the day after they appear on TV. It will also include video-on-demand news sport and comedy clips from CBS Mobile. (CNet) —Player X, Admob Team Up: UK-based Player X and mobile advertising company Admob to offer integrated marketing campaigns that include advertising across AdMob’s global network. The main centre will be the portal Player X runs for O2 UK, and the service will allow content partners to track conversions from their ad campaigns’ right through to download. (release) More after the jump...—T-Mobile Launches G1 YouTube Channel: T-Mobile has launched a YouTube channel to teach people how to use the G1, with customers able to post questions and receive written and video answers from T-Mobile’s experts and other customers. I’m not sure how much use it will get, but it’s likely cheap and the video part makes demonstrations easy. (Mobile Market Magazine) —Kenya Bans Ringtones: Some African news sites are reporting that Kenya’s new Kenya Communications (Amendment) Act not only restricts media and gives the postal service strong powers to invade private communications searching for “obscene” content also makes it illegal to personalize a mobile phone: “Mobile phone owners are not allowed to change the facial appearance of their handsets or customise the phone features to their convenience. The law declares reprogramming of mobile phones illegal. You cannot even install fancy ringtones!” One commenter argued that the law is merely stating that “you cannot change the IMEI number or reprogam it”. I haven’t read the legislation, but wouldn’t be surprised if it was just incredibly poorly written. (The Citizen and Daily Nation)

CBS Interactive (NYSE: CBS) is pulling the plug on WallStrip, the comedic online financial news show it acquired less than two years ago, PEHub reported, citing an unidentified source. WallStrip hasn’t produced a show since Dec. 12. That date also marks the most recent episode of CBSI broadband sister web program MobLogic, which is hosted by WallStrip alum Lindsay Campbell. Before being acquired by CBSI in May 2007, WallStrip was viewed as a model for a successful online video show, attracting regular viewers, though it never made much revenue. Mashable points out that this was due to production costs exceeding ad revenue. Moreover, the economic slowdown coupled with revs flowing towards big media content retooled for online, are signs that there will be no resolution soon. Nevertheless, the plan, according to PEHub’s source, is to “take the DNA from WallStrip and apply it” to fellow CBS property BNet, which came with the $1.8 billion acquisition of CNET early last summer. The precise details of WallStrip’s DNA that would be picked over wasn’t outlined.

CBS Interactive (NYSE: CBS) is pulling the plug on WallStrip, the comedic online financial news show it acquired less than two years ago, PEHub reported, citing an unidentified source. WallStrip hasn’t produced a show since Dec. 12. That date also marks the most recent episode of CBSI broadband sister web program MobLogic, which is hosted by WallStrip alum Lindsay Campbell. Before being acquired by CBSI in May 2007, WallStrip was viewed as a model for a successful online video show, attracting regular viewers, though it never made much revenue. Mashable points out that this was due to production costs exceeding ad revenue. Moreover, the economic slowdown, coupled with revs flowing towards big media content retooled for online, are signs that there will be no resolution soon. Nevertheless, the plan, according to PEHub’s source, is to “take the DNA from WallStrip and apply it” to fellow CBS property BNet, which came with the $1.8 billion acquisition of CNET early last summer. The precise details of WallStrip’s DNA that would be picked over wasn’t outlined.

CBS Interactive (NYSE: CBS) is pulling the plug on WallStrip, the comedic online financial news show it acquired less than two years ago, PEHub reported, citing an unidentified source. WallStrip hasn’t produced a show since Dec. 12. That date also marks the most recent episode of CBSI broadband sister web program MobLogic, which is hosted by WallStrip alum Lindsay Campbell. Before being acquired by CBSI in May 2007, WallStrip was viewed as a model as a successful online video show, attracting regular viewers, though it never made much revenue. Nevertheless, the plan, according to PEHub’s source, is to “take the DNA from WallStrip and apply it” to fellow CBS property BNet, which came with the $1.8 billion acquisition of CNet early last summer. The precise details of WallStrip’s DNA that would be picked over wasn’t outlined.

—MobiTV Adds CBS: MobiTV will offer a CBS (NYSE: CBS) channel as part of its $10/month services, offering full episodes of hits such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Numb3rs, CSI: NY, and The Young and the Restless. The shows will be available on AT&T (NYSE: T) and Sprint (NYSE: S) Nextel the day after they appear on TV. It will also include video-on-demand news sport and comedy clips from CBS Mobile. (CNet) —Player X, Admob Team Up: UK-based Player X and mobile advertising company Admob to offer integrated marketing campaigns that include advertising across AdMob’s global network. The main centre will be the portal Player X runs for O2 UK, and the service will allow content partners to track conversions from their ad campaigns’ right through to download. (release) —T-Mobile Launches G1 YouTube Channel: T-Mobile has launched a YouTube channel to teach people how to use the G1, with customers able to post questions and receive written and video answers from T-Mobile’s experts and other customers. I’m not sure how much use it will get, but it’s likely cheap and the video part makes demonstrations easy. (Mobile Market Magazine) —Kenya Bans Ringtones: Some African news sites are reporting that Kenya’s new Kenya Communications (Amendment) Act not only restricts media and gives the postal service strong powers to invade private communications searching for “obscene” content also makes it illegal to personalize a mobile phone: “Mobile phone owners are not allowed to change the facial appearance of their handsets or customise the phone features to their convenience. The law declares reprogramming of mobile phones illegal. You cannot even install fancy ringtones!” One commenter argued that the law is merely stating that “you cannot change the IMEI number or reprogam it”. I haven’t read the legislation, but wouldn’t be surprised if it was just incredibly poorly written. (The Citizen and Daily Nation)

Satellite Radio subscribers can tune into some savory content delivered fresh from chef Bobby Flay. Flay, the man responsible for Mesa Restaurants, Bobby’s Burger Palace, and Bobby Flay Steak will begin airing a regular show beginning January 8th. The show is not only about food. Subjects covered will be food, style, dating, sports, and just about everything that will help guy’s navigate through life. Consider it a Flay buffet. SIRIUS XM Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) announced today that Bobby Flay, the renowned chef, restaurateur, award-winning cookbook author and television personality, will host Bobby Flay Radio, an exclusive five-week series of live call-in shows on which he will explore the essentials[More...]

US stocks fell, halting a four day rally, after telecom heavyweights AT&T and Verizon plunged on bleak earnings outlook.[More...]

New York Times Co. (NYSE: NYT), the largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, began selling display ads on the front page starting Monday, amid falling revenue and deepening recession.[More...]

Filed under: Microsoft (MSFT), Time Warner (TWX), CBS Corp 'B' (CBS), News Corp'B' (NWS)

You know, I was really hoping to buy some Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) today. I really was. In fact, I was even thinking about CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS), Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX), and News Corp. (NYSE: NWS). These are all stocks that have been beaten down in 2008 and that I feel may rise if 2009 is a good year. I mean, in an existential sense, you figure that '09 is going to be a better year.

If only it were that easy. Out of all the stocks I mentioned above, Microsoft was the one I was considering the most. Yet, I just can't take the plunge. As of this writing, according to AOL quotes, Microsoft has traded about 26 million shares, and is up 3.9%. That puts it at over $20 per share, a level I was hoping to buy under (hey, I know that shouldn't matter, but I guess I'm as prone to psychology as everyone else). I was kind of hoping that maybe Microsoft would be down today on low volume; instead, it is up on low volume (the 30-day average for volume is close to 80 million shares). That would have given me a little more confidence in the trade. I just have this feeling that stocks may go down once the real trading begins next week, and the volume hopefully comes back. Obviously, Wall Street hasn't exited holiday mode just yet. But, the flip side is I'm wrong and stocks rally from here upward, and I become too afraid to buy Microsoft in the mid-$20's. Or, worse, I'm too afraid not to, and get in at a high price.

So, as you can see, I really don't know what's going to happen. I want to buy stocks today in case things go higher, but I'm not sure that will happen. What do you do in this case? Although it hurts, you do nothing. Thankfully, I have resisted giving in to emotion and buying just for the sake of buying (and I came close). I may end up being wrong about Microsoft, but that's okay. It may give me opportunities later in the year. For now, I think I made the correct choice, especially in front of a weekend.

Disclosure: I don't own any stock mentioned; positions can change without notice.

Stocks are looking good today, but... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Published in RealMoney.com

By Eric Jackson

12/31/2008 12:00 PM EST

In these final days of 2008, we turn our eyes to next year and how the stock market will fare. Rather than adding to the chorus of predictions about the price of oil, gold and the dollar -- as well as the S&P 500 in general -- I wanted to offer some predictions that are micro in nature.

1. New York Times (NYT - commentary - Cramer's Take) will be sold to avoid shutting down. The sales of its Boston properties, cutting of its dividend and mortgaging of its headquarters will not be enough to refinance its debt in 2009. The Times will be forced to seek out a friendly purchaser, more likely to be Mort Zuckerman, Eli Broad, Terry Semel or Ron Burkle than Rupert Murdoch because of News Corp's (NWS - commentary - Cramer's Take) own financial challenges.

2. Yahoo! (YHOO - commentary - Cramer's Take) will appoint an inside board member as CEO by the end of February (either Gary Chapple, Maggie Wilderotter or V.J. Joshi), which will be panned by the business media and employees as uninspiring. Current President Sue Decker will immediately leave the company and take a job later in the year working for Warren Buffett at Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A - commentary - Cramer's Take). Microsoft (MSFT - commentary - Cramer's Take) and Yahoo! will announce a friendly "merger" by the end of the summer.

3. Terry Semel will buy a media property through his investment firm and effectively run it (a la Sam Zell). After all the bad press from his days at Yahoo!, Semel won't be content to stay on the sidelines.

4. CBS (CBS - commentary - Cramer's Take) will be spun off from Sumner Redstone's control and Les Moonves will be removed as CEO. Redstone's debt restructuring talks with the banks will force him to jettison his stake in CBS and hang on instead to Viacom (VIA.B - commentary - Cramer's Take). The network will be sold to another media company and Les Moonves will immediately move on. Home Depot (HD - commentary - Cramer's Take) cofounder Ken Langone will be among the new owners of the company.

5. Howard Stern will announce he's not re-signing with Sirius (SIRI - commentary - Cramer's Take) and instead retire; Sirius will restructure through Chapter 11 with Mel Karmazin staying on. Disappointed in his lack of influence as part of Sirius, Stern will throw in the towel and announce he's retiring after his five-year contract ends in 2010. He will stay retired for nine months before announcing he's returning to terrestrial radio.

6. Google (GOOG - commentary - Cramer's Take) will buy geospatial satellite operator GeoEye (GEOY - commentary - Cramer's Take). Google will see providing the map images (and searching any location on Earth) that appear on Google Maps, Google Earth and its G1 mobile phone as strategic, as well as in line with its interest in space in general. Google's stock will end 2009 at $350.

7. Women's retailers will face bankruptcy. Ann Taylor (ANN - commentary - Cramer's Take), Talbots (TLB - commentary - Cramer's Take) and Charming Shoppes (CHRS - commentary - Cramer's Take) will all announce bankruptcy before the summer, as cautious women shoppers stay away from these retailers and tighten their purse strings. Chico's (CHS - commentary - Cramer's Take) will teeter on the edge of bankruptcy but survive the year.

8. Bill Gates' investment firm will orchestrate a takeover of Crocs (CROX - commentary - Cramer's Take) in his first active investment. Faith in the Crocs products, which are used by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with children in Africa, as well as frustration with the current management, will spur Gates into taking over the footwear company.

9. Hugh Hefner will make a lowball offer to take Playboy (PLA - commentary - Cramer's Take) private with several other friendly individual investors after disillusionment in the low stock price. This action will spur interest from a larger foreign investor to buy the company with the promise of letting Hefner continue to run it independently.

10. Dry bulk shippers like DryShips (DRYS - commentary - Cramer's Take) and TBS International (TBSI - commentary - Cramer's Take) will triple in value before June 1 as the general market rallies, before declining 50% in the second half of the year.

Schaeffer's Colleen King takes a look at activity on the Street after the market close

Schaeffer's Andrea Kramer takes a look at activity on the Street ahead of the market open

(DIS)(CBS)(NWS)(TWX)(GNXE)

Andrea Kramer takes a look back at news that drove the major market indices today.

As Goldman looks into their crystal ball, the credit crunch and economic slow down show signs of caution for the entertainment industry. CBS declares its 5th dividend yet can’t cut a brake on Wall Street. Has Apple finally spun itself into a corner? Just weeks after the iPhone launch a price cut and content partners are dropping out of iTunes. Germany’s Bertelsmann does the music publishing hokey pokey. NOTE: Mr. Szalai will be on vacation for two weeks. Mr. Malaster will provide solo and/or guests in his absence. (AAPL) (CBS) (GS) (DWA) (DIS) (NWS) (AMZN) (VIA.B) (SNE)