World Screen

SINGAPORE/LONDON: BBC Worldwide Channels Asia has appointed Otto Leong, the director of distribution and business development, as part of the pan-regional team responsible for the distribution of BBC Entertainment, BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle, CBeebies and BBC World News in Taiwan …

NEW YORK: Advertising expenditures in the U.S. fell 14.7 percent in the first nine months of this year, according to TNS Media Intelligence, with a 15.3-percent decline in the third quarter alone. “The updated monthly trend line on total advertising …

 LOS ANGELES: Romy Ricart, who previously served as coordinator of international business development at Lionsgate International, has joined the worldwide sales team of Moving Pictures Film & Television. As an international sales executive, Ricart will concentrate on direct sales of …

  LONGWOOD: The Television Syndication Company (TVS) has acquired the worldwide rights for Not Evil Just Wrong, an 85-minute documentary that spotlights environmental extremists.    The film, produced by Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney, looks to debunk myths and misinformation …

LONDON: Outright Distribution has firmed up a deal with Finland’s Storyhouse for representation of its format The Happiness Project. Outright now holds worldwide rights for the show, excluding Finland, as well as France and the Netherlands, where the show is …

TORONTO: Knightscove Media has purchased a 51-percent stake in Studio 4 Networks’ KIDMAZING Network, a children’s on-demand channel currently available in some 10 million VOD households in the U.S. and Canada. KIDMAZING is expected to increase its distribution to more …

CHICAGO: Sheri Salata, executive producer of The Oprah Winfrey Show, and Erik Logan, executive VP of Harpo, Inc., have been named presidents of Harpo Productions, both reporting to Oprah Winfrey, the chairman of Harpo, Inc. Tim Bennett, the president of …

SILVER SPRING: Discovery Networks International is launching TLC HD on SKY Brazil, marking the first time the service is available outside of the U.S.  The programming on TLC HD will include content focused on lifestyle, travel, the environment, parenting, home improvement and …

STOCKHOLM: Viasat Broadcasting has acquired the exclusive broadcasting rights to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) for Sweden, Norway and Denmark for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 seasons. WRC will be broadcast on Viasat Motor in Sweden and Norway and …

LONDON: GroupM and ZenithOptimedia have both upgraded their advertising forecasts for 2010, predicting growth of just under 1 percent following the declines of this year. According to GroupM research, ad spending will be down by 6.6 percent this year to …