How do you promote a news program? By branding the host.

Facing fierce competition, the promotions departments at the three 24-hour news channels are working overtime to build loyalty and make sure you know where to find your favorite "news personality." After all, you wouldn't want your e-mail questions about MSNBC's Ashleigh Banfield's hair and eyeglass frames to end up in Fox News' John Gibson's mailbox.

Banfield has been a PR flack's wet dream, with her quirky good looks, stellar accessorizing and insistence on being in the right place at the right time. They've had less luck hyping Banfield's former co-anchor, Lester Holt. The latest promos for Holt start out with the usual reporter-on-the-go montage. Then the voice-over tells us that he's "On time. On point. Only on one network." On time? What will we celebrate in our anchorfolks next, perfect attendance? Or: "Lester Holt: impeccably groomed."

Need proof that the hosts themselves are being branded? Name one of their shows. Sure, everyone knows Chris Matthews' show is called "Hardball"; he's been around for a while, and that's a catchy, evocative, one-word title that captures his combative style. But who knew that Banfield's show is called "Region in Conflict with Ashleigh Banfield" (is this region going to declare war anytime soon?), and Holt's is called "America at War with Lester Holt?" (Now there's a war we could win quickly). In a bold transition from phrases to full sentences, MSNBC just signed perennial presidential hopeful Alan Keyes, and named his show "Alan Keyes is Making Sense" (rejected subtitle: "No, Really, He Is.")

Branding becomes even more important when hosts start playing musical networks. Greta Van Susteren just migrated from CNN to Fox, and a few months ago Paula Zahn left Fox for CNN to host its morning show, "American Morning with Paula Zahn." With a title like that, it's a good thing CNN got Zahn to host it. But they may have been a little overzealous in promoting her. In a 15-second ad that ran about 10 times this past weekend before it was yanked, a male voice asked, "Where can you find a morning news anchor who's provocative, super-smart ... oh yeah, and just a little sexy?" as the word "sexy" is flashed on the screen, along with a quick shot of Zahn's lips. So much for Zahn's 20 years of journalistic experience. Hey CNN – if you're this looks-conscious, why is Larry King still on the air?

A CNN rep told the Washington Post that Zahn, CNN Chairman and CEO Walter Isaacson, and chairman of CNN parent company Turner Broadcasting Jamie Kellner, each called the network independently when they saw the spot, demanding that it be pulled. Isaacson called the ad "a major blunder" by CNN's promotions department and insisted that the promo was "never seen or approved by anyone outside our promotions department" before it was telecast. So branding is so important at CNN that the promotions department has grown to the point of not having to answer to anyone?

It's a safe bet that Zahn didn't have anything to do with this ad, and no one will argue with Isaacson when he blames the promotions department for this out-of-control branding. This is exactly the kind of dirty work they're hired to do, and it sure smells like the run-it-and-quickly-retract-it method of promotion that is fast becoming a staple in entertainment publicity. An obviously controversial ad runs, attracts attention, and gets pulled immediately (it only has to air once, or, not at all, if news of its existence "leaks" to, say, "Entertainment Tonight"). But its job is to get buzz going, and it succeeds. After all, even if you didn't see the Zahn ad, the coverage of it (even this article) planted the following three seeds in your mind:

A) Paula Zahn is hosting a new morning show on CNN;

B) Paula Zahn is sexy;

C) Paula Zahn and her bosses have the journalistic credibility to be offended by this ad.

Reputations are protected, that pesky promotions department takes the blame, and everyone knows exactly where Paula Zahn can be found.