Television: drug of the nation ...(Dooley's Diary)

Remember where you heard it: Are music executives the new pop stars? Besides Simon Cowell's new X Factor show, MTV is preparing to air its Breaking Point show next month, focussing on the goings-on at Island Records Group, while Chrysalis Group will be the subject of one episode of MW Awards presenter Ruby Wax's new series for BBC3, Ruby Does The Business will look at four businesses, with the Chrysalis show profiling individual execs and founder Chris Wright ... Chrysalis' music group chief Jeremy Lascelles is getting used to the limelight after finding himself broadcast to the nation on ITV1's the Premiership, offering words of wisdom to Leeds manager Eddie Gray at the Portsmouth-Man Utd clash. After the previous night's Leeds match at Arsenal, Gray had stayed over chez Lascelles before checking out his team's next opponents ... Mixed messages are emerging about the possible launches of Napster and Apple in Europe. Dooley hears word from some of delays because of problems with collection societies, while others suggest a possible Napster launch in the first half of May ... A strong retail panel at last Wednesday's MusicTank heard Virgin Retail's Dennis Henderson voicing concern that the sub-10 [pounds sterling] CD album price is here to stay, while EUK head of digital Paul Zimmerman voiced confidence that prices will not remain fixed around the 99p mark ... The BPI recruited an extra staffer over the Easter holiday. No, not Steve Redmond, but Peter Jamieson's pet budgie, Bluey, who moved into the County Hall offices while PJ took a short holiday. Dooley ...