World Screen

SINGAPORE: Malaysia’s Secretary General for the Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture, Datuk Wira Kamaruddin bin Siaraf, spoke to World Screen Newsflash at Asia TV Forum about the country’s efforts to ramp up its content-creation initiatives. Announced at the ATF …

PHILADELPHIA/FAIRFIELD: Comcast and GE have formally announced their agreement to form a joint venture—consisting of NBC Universal, Comcast’s cable nets, regional sports channels and some digital properties—to be led by Jeff Zucker. The release from the two companies today said …

NEW YORK/TORONTO/MIAMI: MTV Networks International (MTVNI) has upped Jon Graham to VP of marketing, sales and partnerships for MTVNI in Canada.   Graham will serve as the MTVNI point person in Canada to drive synergies with MTVNI’s regional broadcast partners, long-time Canadian …

COPENHAGEN: Cecilia Lidin is to serve as the head of the European Documentary Network (EDN), taking on responsibility for the day-to-day activities and strategic planning. The appointment follows a reorganization of the EDN office and of the way EDN will be functioning. The …

LOS ANGELES: ITV Studios Global Entertainment and Zinkia have signed a master-toy licensing agreement for the U.S. and Canada with Bandai America for the animated children’s series Pocoyo. Toy products will be available to consumers in fall 2010 throughout the …

SINGAPORE/AMSTERDAM: Film Content Company Europe (FCCE) is at the Asia TV Forum launching the new weekly lifestyle entertainment program Films & Stars Asia, which combines Asian and Hollywood film and star celebrity news. Films & Stars Asia, available for presales, is the Asia-specific version …

SINGAPORE: Al Jazeera Children’s Channel (JCC) and Malaysia’s Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) launched their animated co-production Saladin to Asian buyers at an event here in Singapore today, capping off the first day of the Asia TV Forum. The $8-million co-pro …

TORONTO: CCI Entertainment’s new multiplatform property GeoFreakZ is headed into production, with funding from the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund. The property has been developed in partnership with TELETOON, Smiley Guy Studios, Moonray Studios and CCI Digital’s senior creative …

LONDON/NEW YORK: Chorion has appointed two new licensing agents in Latin America for its hit preschool property Olivia. Tycoon Enterprises is to represent the licensing and merchandising rights for Olivia in Mexico, Central America (Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, …

SINGAPORE: ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) has struck a regional broadcast distribution agreement with Billiard Club Network for the rights to air the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship across Asia. The deal gives ESS exclusive multiplatform broadcast rights, including cable, satellite and …