Sara Alessi

NEW YORK: EPIX has appointed Sandy Ashendorf, formerly of BBC Worldwide America, as executive VP of content distribution.

LOS ANGELES: Syndicated candid-camera series Just for Laughs Gags has been renewed by Tribune Broadcasting for 2017 and 2018.

LOS ANGELES: Lew Klein, president of the NATPE Foundation, will be recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award during NATPE.

LOS ANGELES: Otter Media, a joint venture between The Chernin Group and AT&T, has named Billy Parks to the newly created role of executive VP of creative and content strategy.

TORONTO: In a bid to strengthen its U.S. outreach, Proper Television has restructured its development team, appointing Matt Mitchell as development producer.

ATLANTA: TBS has renewed the series Search Party and People of Earth, ordering additional seasons of all six of its 2016 original scripted comedies.

ATLANTA: TBS has given the green light to Final Space, an interstellar animated comedy series created by independent filmmaker, actor, comedian and entrepreneur Olan Rogers and produced by Conan O'Brien's Conaco.

UNIVERSAL CITY: NBC has elevated business affairs executives Masami Yamamoto and Lee Straus, who are taking on expanded roles in scripted and alternative programming, respectively.

BEVERLY HILLS: Starz has become the first premium pay-TV service to incorporate music-streaming service Spotify into its app.

LOS ANGELES: Seasoned digital executive Rebecca Howard has joined Discovery Communications as senior VP of emerging platforms and partnerships.