New York — Martha Stewart, in a Christmas message posted on her personal Web site, www.marthatalks.com, called Wednesday for sentencing reform and took a swipe at the “bad food” in prison.

Stewart, who is roughly halfway through a five-month sentence for lying about a stock sale, urged fans to think about the women she has met in prison who are “devoid of care, devoid of love, devoid of family.”

She suggested Americans should push for reforms in federal sentencing guidelines for nonviolent first-time offenders and particularly for drug offenders, who she said would be better served by rehabilitation than prison.

Stewart, who built a billion-dollar empire in homemaking, reported that her job at the federal prison camp in Alderson, W.Va., has been cleaning, including sweeping, vacuuming and raking leaves.

“I have had time to think, time to write, time to exercise, time to not eat the bad food, and time to walk and contemplate the future,” she said.

Earlier this month, her company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, announced Stewart would host a daytime talk show with a live studio audience beginning this fall.

The company has been working with reality TV pioneer Mark Burnett, and shares of the media company have soared since Stewart reported to prison — although they have fallen back somewhat in recent weeks.

Stewart is due to be released in early March from prison, then must spend five months confined to her home in Bedford.

The television show is scheduled to air after the five months of house arrest end.

Stewart and her former stockbroker, Peter Bacanovic, were convicted in March of lying about why Stewart unloaded shares of ImClone Systems Inc. stock in 2001, just before the price plunged.

Both are appealing.

Stolen records recovered

London — Stolen gold and silver records won by Ozzy Osbourne’s band Black Sabbath were recovered after thieves dumped them behind trash cans.

The discs were reported missing last week after a burglary at the home of Osbourne’s former manager Patrick Meehan in Kent.

Kent Police said an anonymous tip led them to the eight discs, found Wednesday in a plastic bag dumped behind recycling bins.

Two other discs stolen in the haul — which included the albums “Master of Reality,” “Paranoid” and “Black Sabbath, Vol. 4” — had already been returned after being offered for sale on Internet auction site eBay.

Osbourne was a victim of burglars himself last month. He unsuccessfully attempted to tackle thieves who broke into his Buckinghamshire mansion, west of London, and made off with valuable jewelry.

Britney has most coverage

New York — “Access Hollywood” has named its “Top Ten Stars of 2004,” with Britney Spears in the No. 1 spot.

The rankings are based on the number of stories the syndicated entertainment television show aired on each star. Spears — who was married twice, canceled a summer tour because of a knee injury and released a greatest hits album — topped the list with 119 stories.

Beyonce is in the No. 2 spot, with 102 stories, followed by Donald Trump, 94 stories; Michael Jackson, 84 stories; Tom Cruise, 72 stories; Jessica Simpson, 69 stories; Paris Hilton, 63 stories; Nicole Kidman, 62 stories; Jennifer Lopez, 54 stories; and Whitney Houston, 52 stories.

Reality show goes domestic

New York — While Martha Stewart is away, 12 reality show contestants are going to play.

CBS recently revealed the contestants on “Wickedly Perfect,” a domestic showdown hosted by Joan Lunden. The new show, which debuts Jan. 6, will fill the time slot left empty by “Survivor: Vanuatu — Islands of Fire.”

The 12 makeshift Marthas will live together in a New England estate, where they will try to prove they are role models for housewives everywhere.

They will be critiqued by celebrity chef and Food Network host Bobby Flay, stylist David Evangelista and “Sex and the City” author Candace Bushnell in a variety of challenges in entertaining, decorating, cooking, baking, sewing and crafts.

After 10 episodes, the last diva standing will win a development deal for a lifestyle-oriented TV show, six appearances on CBS’ “The Early Show” and a publishing deal with Atria Books.

Among the nine women and three men are two homemakers, a chef, a baker and a Home Shopping Network host. Their ages range from 25 to 46.

School to buy Clinton’s house

Fayetteville, Ark. — The University of Arkansas has agreed to buy the house where Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton lived when they worked in Fayetteville in the 1970s.

The university said it would pay $249,950 for the property and structure at 930 California Blvd.

University vice chancellor Don Pederson said the campus planned to hold the house until the city of Fayetteville or a nonprofit group could purchase it.

The UA System Board of Trustees still must approve the purchase. The panel meets next on Jan. 27. The sellers, James and Janet Greeson, have lived in the house since 1983.

The Clintons were married in the house.