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The New York office of Michaelides & Bednash has landed its most

high-profile account to date with its appointment to launch Oprah

Winfrey's Oxygen Media network across the city.

M&B will be tasked with developing strategy and communications to back

the rollout of the troubled internet and cable TV network on to

Manhattan's Time Warner Cable service.

The extension of Oxygen Media to the city, which began in December, is

seen by some as a moment of truth for the network, which has struggled

since its heavily hyped launch in February.

Oxygen includes Oxygen.com and Oprah.com as well as a 24-hour broadcast

service featuring comedy, movies, sports and talk show features such as

Carrie Fisher interviewing young hunks.

However, the network has been slow to roll out nationally and has been

criticised in the US press for lightweight content.

Oxygen's rival networks, Lifetime and WE, have grown quickly with heavy

marketing support.

Oxygen received a much needed boost last April when AOL Time Warner

increased its stake in the venture and agreed to the New York rollout.

The network reaches almost 30 million homes with 40 million predicted by

the end of the year.