1 or 2
Extra minutes that some TV shows have been running lately, in an apparent effort by networks to keep viewers from changing channels. (Evidently the thinking is that people are less likely to switch if programs have already begun at the top of the hour or half-hour on other networks.) Recently padded shows include CBS' Without a Trace, Fox's Renovate My Family, ABC's The Bachelor and NBC's ER, according to Nielsen Media Research. What's worse for viewers, this is confusing some DVRs, many of which are set to record specific time blocks and aren't smart enough to recognize when shows run over—causing the ends of programs to sometimes get clipped off. TiVo says it's heard some bitching from subscribers and has begun advising them to adjust their recording settings manually.
30
Percent more share that Splenda (at 50 percent) has than Equal in the artificial-sweetener market. Now the makers of Equal have filed a false-advertising lawsuit against Splenda, charging that the latter isn't really made from sugar. In a complaint filed in federal court, Merisant Co. says Splenda's marketing slogan, "Made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar," should read something more like, "Made from dextrose, maltodextrin and 4-chloro-4-deoxy-alpha, D-Galactopyranosyl-1,6-dichloro-1,6-dideoxy-beta, D-fructofuranoside."