World Screen

NEW YORK: Comedy Central has ordered a 6×30-minute urban and hip-hop stand-up series from Russell Simmons and Stan Lathan and hosted by JB Smoove. Smoove (Curb Your Enthusiasm) will host the series that will be shot in Los Angeles on February …

LONDON: Ravensbeck, the firm set up by former Disney executive David Hulbert and Tim Richards, has made an investment in Ultimate Rugby Sevens (UR7s), an independent promoter of Rugby Sevens tournaments worldwide. The deal marks the first round of external funding for UR7s. Hulbert …

LONDON: As part of its year-long programming event The Spirit of 1940, the UKTV factual channel Yesterday has commissioned Dunkirk: The Forgotten Heroes, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the event. Produced by Testimony Films, the hour-long documentary will tell the unknown …

BENTONVILLE: Retail giant Walmart is acquiring VUDU, which delivers movies and TV shows to the television set over a broadband connection without a monthly subscription fee. VUDU is already being bundled into broadband-ready TV sets and Blu-ray players from a …

BURBANK: ABC Family has picked up a fourth season of Greek, which is one of the longest running original series on the network. The show will return later this year with ten new episodes. Created by Patrick Sean Smith, Greek …

NEW YORK: News Corporation has reached a deal to pick up a 9.09 percent stake in Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal’s Middle Eastern media group Rotana for $70 million. As part of the transaction, News Corp. has an option to increase its stake to …

NEW YORK: The Pacific, a Playtone and DreamWorks production executive produced by Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and Gary Goetzman, is to debut with part one on March 14 at 9 p.m. on HBO, while the further parts roll out on …

SINGAPORE: Universal Networks International (UNI) has named Christopher Williams to the newly created post of VP of sales and commercial operations for Asia Pacific, effective immediately. Williams was part of the team that launched UNI in the Asia Pacific, having joined …

NEW YORK: Treehouse in Canada is set to launch Classic Media’s CGI-animated preschool series Guess with Jess today, following the British rollout on CBeebies in November. Co-produced by Corus’ Nelvana Studio, Guess with Jess focuses on a fluffy black and white …

STOCKHOLM: Madelene Hansson takes on the role of international business and sales director at Metronome Film & Television, joining the company from New York-based production outfit Embassy Row. Hasson will be tasked with coordinating the group’s sales and self-developed formats …