Cowell: 'X Factor' wants 2 female judges, 2 hosts (AP)

AP - Simon Cowell is playing it coy about rumors that Fergie, Britney Spears and Janet Jackson are being considered for "The X Factor."

Kodak is out of the picture at Oscars (Reuters)

Reuters - Bankrupt Eastman Kodak Co is having its named yanked from Sunday's telecast of the Oscars, the president of the group that gives out the awards said on Wednesday.

Paramount extends J.J. Abrams' deal through 2015 (Reuters)

Reuters - Paramount Pictures has extended its first-look deal with in-house hit-maker J.J. Abrams.

Edgar Wright to direct Johnny Depp in "Night Stalker" (Reuters)

Reuters - "Shaun of the Dead" and "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" director Edgar Wright has signed on to direct Johnny Depp in Disney's "The Night Stalker," TheWrap has confirmed.

David Cross on using cocaine near Obama (Reuters)

Reuters - David Cross opened up to Playboy about his cocaine use at a White House Correspondents' Dinner, telling the magazine that he only snorted a small amount of the drug -- and did it more for the principle than the high.

Katy Perry to guest-star on Fox's "Raising Hope" (Reuters)

Reuters - Katy Perry is going to prison -- on "Raising Hope."

SAG merger opponents file suit to prevent vote (Reuters)

Reuters - Opponents of the Screen Actors Guild's proposed merger with the American Federation of Television & Radio Actors filed a lawsuit Wednesday to stop the union from calling for a vote on the plan.

Capsule review of new movie release (AP)

AP - "Wanderlust" — This would provide an intriguing double feature with "Martha Marcy May Marlene." Both are about people who search for their true selves in woodsy communes, get sucked into the brainwashing and insularity by a charismatic leader and eventually struggle to escape.

MPTF fined $80,000 in patient's mysterious death (Reuters)

Reuters - The Motion Picture and Television Fund's long-term care facility has been fined $80,000 over the death of a patient, according to the California Department of Public Health.

Oscars 2012: A year of comfort (Reuters)

Reuters - When the curtain rises on the Oscars this Sunday, nervous anticipation will, as usual, fill the theater at the world's top film awards, but this year movie fans can relax.

Review: Laughs are hit and miss in `Wanderlust' (AP)

AP - "Wanderlust" would provide an intriguing double feature with the acclaimed indie drama "Martha Marcy May Marlene."

Viewers give CBS most-watched show last week (AP)

AP - Viewers gave CBS the week's most-watched show along with 21 others in the top 30 ranking.

Lindsay Lohan pleases judge on "home stretch" of probation (Reuters)

Reuters - Actress Lindsay Lohan got high marks from a Los Angeles judge at her penultimate progress hearing on Wednesday, as she entered the "home stretch" of her probation after being convicted for theft last year.

DUI charges against Steelers' Ward dropped (AP)

AP - Prosecutors have dropped DUI charges against Pittsburgh Steelers receiver and Dancing With the Stars winner Hines Ward.

'X Factor' teenager Crow signs TV, record deal (AP)

AP - Rachel Crow was a tearful runner-up on "The X Factor," but she's a winner now.

Pa. museum automaton has link to Scorsese's 'Hugo' (AP)

AP - The Franklin Institute's automaton can't help you find a good sushi place, direct you out of a traffic jam or check your bank balance.

Judge to Lohan: Keep up good work (AP)

AP - Lindsay Lohan drew praise Wednesday from a judge who said the actress was one court hearing away from putting a long-running drunken driving case behind her.

CBS wins night with NCIS; "Cougar Town" continues slide (Reuters)

Reuters - ABC's "Cougar Town," which returned to the air last week to a series low, continued to slide Tuesday night as CBS's "Unforgettable" also dipped. But CBS won the night overall on the strength of the top-rated "NCIS," according to preliminary numbers.

AP critics pick 'The Artist' for top Oscar wins (AP)

AP - Associated Press movie writers David Germain and Christy Lemire are boringly in lockstep on their picks for this season's top Academy Awards categories, depriving them of their usual snide debate over who's going to win.

Nielsen's top programs for Feb. 13-19 (AP)

AP - Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen for Feb. 13-19. Listings include the week's ranking and viewership.

Spirit Award nominees share low-budget secrets (AP)

AP - The Spirit Awards celebrate the best in low-budget filmmaking. But within those honors, the John Cassavetes Award goes to films with even lower budgets: those made for under $500,000.

'Conan' renewed by TBS for 2 more years (AP)

<a target= Conan O'Brien
55th Annual Emmy Awards - 9/21/2003
Photo: Michael Caulfield, Wireimage.com" border="0" />AP - Conan O'Brien's got his desk job for at least two more years.

Short films fill tall order as Oscar nominees (Reuters)

Reuters - Oscar week kicked off Tuesday night at a celebration of this year's nominees for live action and short films, who are among the least-known of the 2012 Academy Award contenders but no less important to the movie industry.

Costume designers honor "W.E.," "Harry Potter," "Glee" (Reuters)

Reuters - "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," "W.E." and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" have won the top awards from the Costume Designers Guild, which handed out this awards season's last set of guild awards on Tuesday night.

"Hunger Games" onslaught begins with advance ticket sales (Reuters)

Reuters - "Hunger Games" won't hit theaters for more than a month, but already Lionsgate is making a multi-front push to maximize interest in the film weeks ahead of its March 23 release.

Comcast makes good on diversity promise - will it pay? (Reuters)

Reuters - Just how serious is Comcast about attracting Latino and African-American viewers?

British queen honors actress Helena Bonham Carter (AP)

AP - Actress Helena Bonham Carter, whose regal roles include the Red Queen in "Alice in Wonderland" and the mother of Queen Elizabeth II in "The King's Speech," has been honored by the British monarch for services to drama.

Actor's Equity endorses SAG-AFTRA merger (Reuters)

Reuters - The Actors' Equity Association on Tuesday gave its blessing to the proposed merger between the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

Former 'Columbo' star Falk leaves $3M to UCLA (AP)

AP - The estate of former "Columbo" star Peter Falk has donated $3 million to the University of California, Los Angeles, for student scholarships.

Comcast to take on Netflix with Web video service (Reuters)

Reuters - Comcast Corp, the No. 1 U.S. cable operator, became the latest major name to take on Netflix Inc on Tuesday when it announced plans for an online video service offering a library of TV shows and movies.

Comcast to take on Netflix with Web video service (Reuters)

Reuters - Comcast Corp, the No. 1 U.S. cable operator, became the latest major name to take on Netflix Inc on Tuesday when it announced plans for an online video service offering a library of TV shows and movies.

NBC gives "Community" a return date (Reuters)

Reuters - Good news, "Community" fans (and it appears that there are a few of you out there); school will be back in session next month.

Comcast to start new minority-owned cable channels (AP)

AP - Comcast will launch four minority-owned networks on its cable-TV systems in the next two years, including channels spearheaded by music mogul Sean "P. Diddy" Combs and NBA great Magic Johnson.

Charlie Sheen apologizes to Ashton Kutcher via Twitter (Reuters)

Reuters - Charlie Sheen has extended an olive branch to his "Two and a Half Men" replacement Ashton Kutcher via the magic of Twitter.

Sarah Palin documentary headed to cable's ReelzChannel (Reuters)

Reuters - Didn't make it to the theaters to see the Sarah Palin documentary "The Undefeated?"

Comcast launching four new minority-owned networks (Reuters)

Reuters - Comcast Corp, the leading U.S. cable company, is launching four new minority-owned cable networks with partners including former basketball star Earvin "Magic" Johnson, hip-hop mogul Sean Diddy Combs and Hollywood director Robert Rodriguez.

Comcast launches subscription VOD with Streampix (Reuters)

Reuters - Comcast is moving onto Netflix's turf.

Balki's back! Bronson Pinchot has Pa.-based show (AP)

AP - For more than a decade, Bronson Pinchot has spent much of his downtime in the picture-book Pennsylvania hamlet where he found a dream home far from the stressful clamor of New York or L.A.

Comcast launches new streaming video service (AP)

AP - Cable TV giant Comcast is launching a new subscription video service that will enable its customers to instantly view movies and TV shows both in and out of the home.

Sotheby's to sell Munch's "The Scream", eyes $80 million (Reuters)

Reuters - Sotheby's will offer the only privately owned version of Edvard Munch's haunting work "The Scream" at an auction in New York on May 2 where it expects to fetch over $80 million, the highest pre-sale value the auctioneer has ever put on a work of art.