Friday morning headlines

Gas prices inch up: The average price for self-serve regular is now $3.914, according to the Auto Club's latest survey, which is up almost two pennies from last week. Oil prices reached $127-a-barrel this morning. And yet, the number of Americans planning road trips for the Memorial Day weekend is expected to drop only one percent from last year.

Speaking of oil: Goldman Sachs sees crude prices reaching $148 a barrel by the early part of 2009, noting that the recent run-up has less to do with speculators or a weak dollar and more to do with the limited growth in new supplies. The market, Goldman concludes, is “experiencing a structural re-pricing.” That doesn't sound good. (MarketBeat)

Pellicano aftermath: There's lots of second-guessing about the government's decision not to go after the private eye's clients, some of whom were aware of Pellicano's wiretapping activities. “If the government has no plans to go higher than Pellicano, this is a depressingly pedestrian effort that shows a lack of ambition,” said John C. Coffee, a professor at Columbia Law School. Journalist Anita Busch, who got all this started when she was harassed and threatened in 2002, said, "The full story of Pellicano's reach has yet to be told. To Pellicano and his wealthy clients, ‘winning’ meant completely obliterating someone's life and livelihood." From the NYT:

The starkest example of the government’s failure as yet to deal any crushing blows to people in power came when the lead F.B.I. agent on the case, Stanley Ornellas, testified flatly that Mr. [Michael] Ovitz was responsible for orchestrating the threat against Ms. Busch — after Mr. Ovitz’s testimony that he had no role in it had gone unchallenged by prosecutors. Moreover, a parade of wealthy witnesses admitted they knew about, paid for and listened to wiretaps, but were not charged. They included Alec Gores, a billionaire corporate buyout specialist; Freddy DeMann, a music executive who was once Madonna’s manager; Adam D. Sender, a hedge fund manager and onetime movie investor; and Andrew Stevens, an actor turned movie producer.

Healthcare coverage restored: Patients whose insurance was rescinded by Kaiser or Health Net going back to 2004 will be allowed to purchase new coverage regardless of preexisting conditions. The agreement, worked out by state health officials, will affect almost 1,200 patients. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called the settlement groundbreaking. (LAT)

After the upfronts: Development is expected to continue through the summer, unlike past years when the pilot season pretty much wrapped up in the spring. ABC Entertainment chief Steve McPherson told media buyers that the network has 17 pilots in various stages of development. From Variety:

Overall, there's a sense that the industry is breathing a collective sigh of relief. Despite fewer pilots to show off and fewer new shows on the skeds, the broadcast webs made it through upfront week without much squawking from media buyers, and that's assuaged concerns about the sky falling in on the 2008-09 season because of the disruption to pilot season. "They were a bit scaled down and had less product to show, but that's understandable," said Shari Ann Brill, senior VP and director of programming services at buying firm Carat USA. "The fact is we are going to get product, and it's going to be introduced year-round. People watch TV year- round."

Fox cuts commercials: Two of its new dramas this fall will have about five minutes of ads per hour, half the usual load. The number of promos is also being cut. Advertisers will be charged a premium, in part to offset the cost of producing those additional minutes, but also because the commercials will stand out more. (THR)

Truck ban approved: The L.A. Board of Harbor Commissioners agreed to a plan that will require trucking companies to hire their drivers as employees by Dec. 31, 2013. In the meantime, licensed motor carriers can use both their employees and independent drivers. (Daily Breeze)