World Screen

LONDON, July 3: Passion Distribution, an independent outfit launched by former iD Distribution chief Sally Miles, has named Emma Simpkins as its director of sales and Claudia Zell as the European sales and acquisitions manager. Simpkins previously served as iD …

NEW YORK, July 3: Jennifer Turner has been named VP of licensing and strategic partnerships for Bravo Media and Oxygen Media, where she will create branding opportunities and work with merchandising and licensing partners. Turner previously worked as the VP …

DOHA, July 3: Sami al Haj, who was recently released from Guantanamo Bay after six years, has been named as the news producer of Al Jazeera’s liberties and human-rights affairs desk. Al Haj will report on human rights and civil …

NEW YORK, July 3: Comedian Michael Ian Black has signed on to host Comedy Central’s first unscripted competition series, Reality Bites Back, which satirizes well-known reality programs such as American Idol, Survivor and The Biggest Loser. Launching on Comedy Central …

LONDON, July 3: Virgin1 has acquired seasons one and two of the truth-seeking reality series The Monster Hunter from NBC Universal International Television Distribution for its mid-summer prime-time schedule. Presented by adventurer Josh Gates, The Monster Hunter investigates stories of …

LONDON, July 3: BBC One has commissioned from talkbackTHAMES ten half-hour episodes of the Japanese game show Hole in the Wall, which is being rolled out worldwide by FremantleMedia. Dale Winton will host the Saturday night prime-time show when it …

MUMBAI, July 3: INX Media has signed a three-year TV licensing agreement with MGM for the Indian broadcast of 20 James Bond films, which will be shown on the company’s Hindi-language entertainment channel, 9X. The movies to be aired include …

BETHPAGE, July 3: Cablevision Systems will increase the number of HD channels for iO TV digital cable customers to 60 with the addition of 15 new networks, including high-definition services from Nickelodeon, WE tv, FOX News Channel and Discovery Channel. …

BURBANK, July 3: ABC Family’s newest original series, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, debuted as the highest-rated original series telecast in the network’s history in the key adult, women and 12-to-34 demographics, ranking number one in its time …

LONDON, July 3: The BBC is celebrating the life and work of scientific theorist Charles Darwin with a range of content to roll out across multiple platforms—BBC One, Two and Four; BBC Radio 3 and 4; and online—from winter 2008/09. …