AMC Entertainment, whose theaters account for about 12 percent of domestic theater revenue -- more than any other chain -- is in talks to merge with Loews Cineplex Entertainment, which accounts for 4.6 percent of the market, published reports said today (Wednesday). Spokespersons for each chain declined to comment on the reports. A merger of the companies would face intense regulatory scrutiny inasmuch as the two chains currently closely compete in many large markets and in some cases have theater complexes situated in close proximity to one another.

The American Film Institute plans to present a list of the top 100 movie songs of all time during its next CBS special in June. The AFI said Tuesday that the list will be culled from 400 nominated tunes that date back to the first "talkie," 1927's The Jazz Singer. It was not clear, however, whether the songs were to be judged on their individual merit or in the context of the filmed performance. (While the Singin' in the Rain sequence is generally regarded as the most memorable musical production in movies, the lyrics would be overshadowed by Oscar Hammerstein's "It Might As Well Be Spring" from State Fair.) The group said only that voters would be asked to judge the songs on their ability to set a tone or mood, define character, advance a plot, and express a theme.

New Line Cinema will announce the winner at 4:00 p.m. today (Wednesday) of an online auction of a trip to New Zealand for two to attend the world premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.At mid-morning the top bid was $12,250. (The winner receives transportation for two, a week-long stay in a hotel, and an invitation to a premiere party.) The studio is also auctioning off Santa's sleigh used in Elf. With five more days yet to go, the bid stood at $2,299 this morning. Numerous costumes from the Elf movie were also on the online auction block. The studio said that part of the proceeds from the auctions will go to charity. Meanwhile, magician David Copperfield purchased director Michael Curtiz's Oscar for Casablanca at a Christie's auction on Tuesday for $231,500.

China announced Tuesday that it plans to roll out a new, high-definition digital video disk during the coming holiday period. Called the Enhanced Versatile Disc (EVD), the product employs a compression format that has not been endorsed by international standards groups and has received little notice from Hollywood (which appears on the brink of endorsing a system for HDTV recording that employs a so-called blue laser). The Chinese government said that EVD players will initially be priced at about $240. It was not clear what sort of software would be available to play on them.

Although U.S. exhibitors have shown little interest in converting their theaters to digital projection, Singapore's leading theater chain said today (Wednesday) that it will spend $5.25 million over the next year to upgrade 20 of its theaters to digital. Appearing at a news conference with officials of the movie chain Eng Wah Group, Lim Hock Chuan, head of Singapore's Media Development Authority, said that Singapore aims to become the hub of digital distribution of movies in Asia. Meanwhile, the Singapore Straits Times reported today that a theater complex in the city/state, Cathay Cineplex Orchard, will begin operating 24 hours a day on Fridays, Saturdays, and the eve of public holidays. An executive of the theater chain that owns the complex told the newspaper: "When there's a good movie, Singaporeans do not have any boundaries of time."

Television viewers returned to Mayberry in droves last week as CBS's The Andy Griffith Show Reunion: Back to Mayberry registered higher ratings than any other show in primetime with the exception of the entrenched ratings leader, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Indeed, it was the highest-rated non-awards special on any network since the Carol Burnett special in November, 2001. The show also helped CBS win the latest week of the November sweeps. ABC also saw a ratings surge, thanks mostly to two celebrity editions of its magazine show Primetime, one featuring former POW Jessica Lynch and another featuring singer Britney Spears. However, reflecting the dismal state of the recording business, ratings for the American Music Awards fell to their lowest level in at least 10 years. CBS led the week with an average 9.2 rating and a 15 share, leading every night of the week except Wednesday. NBC was in second place with a 7.5/12. ABC followed with a 6.8/11, while Fox trailed with a 4.8/8.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 17.8/27; 2. Andy Griffith Show Reunion: Back to Mayberry, CBS, 13.5/21; 2. E.R., NBC, 13.5/22; 4. Friends, NBC, 13.2/21; 5. Law & Order, NBC, 12.7/21; 6. Survivor: Pearl Islands, CBS, 12.6/19; 7. NFL Monday Night Football: Philadelphia at Green Bay, ABC, 12.5/21; 8. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 12.3/18; 9. CSI: Miami, CBS, 12.0/19; 10. Friends 11/13(S), NBC, 11.9/18.

CBS's plans to air a Michael Jackson special on Nov. 26 were thrown into confusion Tuesday when Santa Barbara sheriffs and members of the district attorney's office began conducting a search of Jackson's Neverland estate. Officials said that they had obtained a search warrant as part of an "ongoing criminal investigation;" no further details were provided. Court TV later reported that the search was related to a probe of allegations by a 12-year-old boy that Jackson had molested him. NBC later added that a warrant for Jackson's arrest had been issued. In a statement issued in Las Vegas, where he reportedly has been filming material for the CBS special, Jackson denounced the allegations -- as well as the television news coverage of the search -- and maintained that they were timed to hurt sales of his new album, Number Ones, which goes on sale today (Wednesday).

KFC has abruptly ended a TV ad campaign that touted the health benefits of its fried-chicken meals after consumer groups blasted the campaign and regulators began investigating it. Today's (Wednesday) Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that the FTC has sent a civil subpoena to the chain demanding that it justify the health claims in the commercials.

An independent investigation has disclosed that a producer for the Nippon Television Network (NTV) padded the budgets of his shows to pay private detectives to track down persons taking part in ratings research and then bribed them to report that they watched his shows. The producer, Masaomi Ando, had previously admitted to the bribery but had said that he had only used his personal funds. Japanese newspapers reported today (Wednesday) that NTV Chairman Seiichiro Ujiie and President Toshio Hagiwara had issued an apology, with Ujiie also submitting his resignation as CEO of the NTV group, and Hagiwara voluntarily accepting demotion to vice president. A third NTV executive, Vice Chairman Kohei Manabe was demoted to NTV vice president. All three voluntarily agreed to take pay cuts amounting to half their salaries for the next three months "for causing trouble to society." Ando was fired. Officials said that he would be asked to repay the money used in the bribery scheme or face criminal charges.