Ford Mustang man in design driver’s seat

Ford Motor Co. announced Friday that Hau Thai-Tang, who oversaw development of the redesigned 2005 Mustang, had been appointed to lead the automaker’s advanced product creation team, replacing the retiring Chris Theodore effective Dec. 1.

Thai-Tang, 38, was chief engineer for the 2005 Mustang and led the development and launch of the 2001 Mustang GT, Mustang Cobra and Bullitt Mustang GT models. The Vietnam native, above, who joined Ford in 1988 as a Ford college-graduate trainee, also had assignments in Germany and with Ford Racing.

Communications

Congress OKs tax ban on Web connections

Congress acted Friday to block state and local governments from taxing connections that link consumers to the Internet for the next three years.

The House passed the bill by voice vote Friday and sent it to the president for his signature.

The Senate made adjustments to the bill this week that freed the tax prohibition from a yearlong stalemate and pushed it toward passage.

The bill blocks taxation of all types of Internet connections, from traditional dial-up services to high-speed broadband lines.

Entertainment

Movie Gallery bids for Hollywood chain

Video rental company Movie Gallery Inc. became the third company to vie for Hollywood Entertainment Corp., claiming Friday that its offer would be more likely to win antitrust approval than the $700 million bid offered last week by industry leader Blockbuster Inc.

Movie Gallery declined to say how much it was offering for the video-rental chain, but analysts speculated it would have to be at least $12.50 per Hollywood share — or roughly $760 million — to be competitive. Blockbuster is offering $11.50 per share, while Leonard Green & Partners LP, a Los Angeles buyout firm, is offering $10.25 per share.

Satellite radio

Sirius gets serious with CEO hiring

Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. is bringing in another big gun from the media world, tapping Mel Karmazin, the former president of media giant Viacom Inc., to be its CEO.

Sirius shares climbed nearly 10 percent Friday.

The announcement late Thursday came just a few weeks after Sirius sealed a $500 million deal with Howard Stern, the radio shock jock who commands a massive and ferociously loyal following among millions of young men.

Karmazin was Stern’s old boss at Infinity Broadcasting.

Sirius shares rose 45 cents, or 9.5 percent, to close at $5.17 Friday on the Nasdaq Stock Market.