Business news for Mon, 31 Dec 2007 & with word broadcast. 2 news.

Product placement had a mixed year. Among broadcast networks' top product-placement shows, occurrences grew 15% in the first nine months of 2007, while cable top shows dropped 15%. The winning show is a no-brainer: "American Idol," with almost 4,400 occurences. Coke got the bulk of these hits.

Agency will start taking requests for discounts on converter boxes Tuesday. In 2009, analog will be history. The federal government doesn't usually give things away, but starting Tuesday broadcast TV watchers can apply for a gift that could keep their sets from going dark in 2009.