LUXEMBOURG, March 11: Cost-cutting and strong results at FremantleMedia helped the RTL Group mitigate the tough ad climate in 2009, with net profit stable at 298 million euros, on revenues that were down 6.3 percent to 5.4 billion euros.

NEW YORK, March 11: In this video interview, Tobi de Graaff, the director of global television distribution at ITV Studios Global Entertainment, discusses the strengths of the company's portfolio and his strategic priorities for 2010.

BURBANK/ENGLEWOOD, March 11: Starz Entertainment and Disney-ABC Domestic Television have signed an new, exclusive long-term agreement for the theatrical releases from The Walt Disney Studios through 2015.

NEW YORK, March 11: At its annual upfront presentation, Nickelodeon announced a raft of new programming that will be joining the network's 2010-11 slate, including six fresh series and further seasons of 16 returning hits.

NEW YORK, March 11: Bravo is adding a fifth night of original productions to its schedule, increasing its programming by an additional 20 percent.

LONDON, March 11: The U.S. version of Wall to Wall's original format Who Do You Think You Are?, which premiered on NBC on March 5, has been sold by Outright Distribution into eight territories.

LONDON, March 11: ITV Studios Global Entertainment has taken on the distribution rights for the Hallmark Hall of Fame TV-movie portfolio.

LOS ANGELES, March 11: Three new movies have been added to the catalogue of MarVista Entertainment for MIPTV, including the romantic comedy Lost in Love.

MUMBAI, March 11: The Walt Disney Company in India has unveiled plans for its first locally developed studio project aimed specifically at Southern Indian audiences, an as-yet-unnamed epic fantasy adventure.

NEW YORK, March 11: Mattel and AMC have teamed up with Lionsgate to launch four Barbie collector Mad Men dolls, to be available for consumers in July.

HARRINGTON PARK, March 11: Janson Media has acquired the worldwide all-media rights to the movie The Impossible Spy, which tells the true story of the Israeli spy Elie Cohen.

MONTREAL, March 11: Telefim Canada has named Carolle Brabant, who is currently the director of administration and corporate services, as its new executive director.

NEW YORK, March 10: Brian Greene, the physicist, author and host of the acclaimed NOVA series The Elegant Universe and the upcoming The Fabric of the Cosmos (currently in production), shares his excitement about science in this video interview.

ABU DHABI, March 10: Delivering a speech titled "The Greatest Resource of All" at the Abu Dhabi Media Summit yesterday, News Corporation chief Rupert Murdoch called on the Middle East to foster its creative sector and rally against censorship.

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 10: On the heels of the spat between Cablevision and ABC over the weekend, a number of U.S. pay-TV providers, including Time Warner Cable and DIRECTV, have filed a petition with the FCC calling for a new set of rules governing retransmission consent disputes.

SCOTTSDALE, March 10: Internet TV services are unlikely to serve as a substitute for pay-TV platforms, a new In-Stat report reveals, indicating that "consumers want the best of both worlds."

MADRID/BURBANK, March 10: Warner Bros. International Television Distribution (WBITD) has signed a deal with laSexta that gives the Spanish broadcaster free-TV rights to a range of first-run theatrical motion pictures and previously released feature films as well as a host of TV titles.

LOS ANGELES, March 10: Andy Whitfield, who plays the title role in the Starz original series Spartacus: Blood and Sand, has been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, and shooting on the second season will be postponed to accommodate his treatment.

SILVER SPRING, March 10: Verge is an all-new programming block slated for Planet Green's prime-time grid that will feature the mavericks and innovators who are on the brink of changing the world and creating a better tomorrow.

NEW YORK, March 10: The second season of Merlin is to make its U.S. debut on Syfy on April 2 at 10 p.m., following the 9 p.m. season premiere of Stargate Universe.

SILVER SPRING, March 10: The newly created role of international head of content for Discovery Communications is to be filled by Luis Silberwasser, who currently serves as senior VP of the content group for Discovery Networks Latin America/U.S. Hispanic and general manager of U.S. Hispanic Networks.

LONDON, March 10: Katie Taylor, currently the executive editor of comedy entertainment at BBC Productions, has been tapped as the company's new head of entertainment and events.

LONDON, March 10: CBS has given a second-season order for Undercover Boss for the 2010-11 broadcast season.

HILVERSUM, March 10: In continuing its global expansion efforts, John de Mol's Talpa Media has set up a co-owned joint venture with Portuguese TV producer CBV.

LONDON, March 10: LIVING has picked up the comedic drama series Drop Dead Diva from Sony Pictures Television.

LOS ANGELES, March 10: The Lifetime original movies Patricia Cornwell's At Risk and Patricia Cornwell's The Front are to debut on April 10 and April 17, respectively.

NORWALK, March 10: CABLEready Productions has been given the greenlight for its first original series, Intersections, from SPEED Channel.

BUENOS AIRES, March 10: Following its participation in DISCOP Africa, Telefe International has wrapped several deals and has a number of negotiations ongoing in the region.

MIAMI, March 10: Venevision International has started production on the new telenovela Sacrificio de mujer (A Woman’s Sacrifice), which stars Majorie de Sousa and Juan Alfonso Baptista.

FOSTER CITY, March 9: Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) has secured agreements with 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution to offer HD movies for purchase and rental on the PlayStation Network video delivery service in the U.S.