GET SMART: SRI LANDS THE BIG FOUR, OTHERS FOR RATINGS SYSTEM

          Nielsen "competitor" Statistical Research Inc. (SRI),
     reported Friday that ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and "a group of
     leading ad agencies have agreed to back" its SMART ratings
     system, according to Rich Katz of DAILY VARIETY.  SRI said
     that the four nets as well as Grey Media, Optimum Media,
     STARCOM Media Services, TeleVest and TN Media have signed
     letters of intent to pursue a new national TV ratings
     service based on the SMART project.  SRI did not state
     whether the letters of intent require the signers to provide
     SRI with a cash infusion (Rich Katz, DAILY VARIETY, 8/3).
          START ME UP: NBC will invest in and supply programming
     to Intertainer, a startup on-line service to provide movies,
     TV programs and music on demand to PCs.  Under the deal, NBC
     and GE Capital will together invest about $3M for a 6% stake
     in Intertainer, and will have options to buy up to 19% at a
     price of about $75M in the next 18 months (N.Y. TIMES, 8/3).