CBS plans digital news effort. Wheeler confirmed as new FCC head.

After the coffee. Before getting my temperature under 100.

The Skinny: First I thought it was the Chinese food. Then I thought it was the staff meeting. But it turns out I came down with some bug that made me very sick and sent me home early Tuesday. Still, I’m here and cranking for you. Oh man, I sound like that other blogger. How awful. Anyway, today’s roundup includes plans at CBS News for a digital offering. Also, a look at how Subway is infiltrating the plots of some of TV’s biggest shows.

Daily Dose: Because there just aren’t enough television award shows, NBC is teaming up with People magazine on “The People Magazine Awards,” which will premiere in late 2014. “The People Magazine Awards is a celebration and recognition of the year’s most influential and talked-about people in pop culture, celebrity and Hollywood that have fueled the country’s conversations,” the announcement said. Wonder if there will be categories for “best celebrity divorce” and “best rehab stint.”

ON LOCATION: Where the cameras roll

Radio for digital. “You give us 22 minutes, we’ll give you the world.” Anyone who’s lived in New York knows that’s the motto of CBS-owned WINS-AM. Now CBS News wants to take that concept digital and create a video news platform for the Web that would essentially be a rolling newscast reporting on and updating the top stories of the day. The idea is still in the planning stages, but could be announced in the next several weeks, an insider said. While details are still being worked out, what this isn’t is a cable news channel for the Web with all the political shouting, tabloid stories and car chases. Details on the effort from BuzzFeed and the Los Angeles Times.
Wheeler ready to roll. The Senate confirmed the nomination of former cable and telco lobbyist Tom Wheeler as the new chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Wheeler’s confirmation had been held up by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) who would not move forward on it until he had a meeting with the nominee to discuss the FCC’s regulation of political advertising. Also confirmed as an FCC commissioner was Michael O’Rielly. Coverage from Broadcasting & Cable and USA Today.

PHOTOS: Behind the scenes of movies and TV

As long as there are no Jared cameos. If it seems like you’re seeing a lot of plugs for Subway sandwiches, it’s because you are. The chain has been very active in working with producers and networks to weave its products into the plots of sitcoms and dramas. Subway is eager to talk about it, but the producers forced to turn their scripts into not-so-subtle ads are less so, per a story in Variety.

Tough comparisons. Comcast released its third-quarter results Wednesday morning and said it had profit of $1.73 billion, a drop of 18% from the same period a year ago, when it got a boost from the sale of some programming assets and wireless spectrum. Revenue for the cable and programming giant was $16.15 billion, off 2.4%. However, when one takes out the Olympics from last year’s results, revenue was actually up 5.2%. An early look at the numbers from the Wall Street Journal.

Inside the Los Angeles Times: Earnings at DreamWorks Animation fell 59%. Al Jazeera America is staffing up and adding news shows just two months after launch.

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