World Screen

TORONTO, May 18: The Canadian channel OLN, together with the Toronto-based Peace Point Entertainment Group, have begun production on the second season of the original reality series Ed’s Up, featuring Ed Robertson, a founding member of the Grammy-nominated band Barenaked …

DULLES, May 18: The critically acclaimed one-hour primetime mystery series History Detectives, co-produced by Lion Television in the U.K. and Oregon Public Broadcasting, returns to PBS for a fifth season in June. The fifth season will premiere on Monday, June …

LOS ANGELES, May 18: Vivendi Visual Entertainment (V V E), the home entertainment division of Universal Music Group Distribution, has reached a multi-year deal to launch a line of one-hour DVDs for the PBS children’s series Mustard Pancakes. The first …

LONDON, May 18: BBC Entertainment has acquired a variety of programming for its Asian feed, including specials and series featuring award-winning psychological illusionist Derren Brown, and the six-part celebrity-themed series Star Stories. Produced by Objective Productions and distributed by Channel …

LONDON, May 18: Distraction has secured new deals in Greece and Spain for its scripted comedy format Serial Frank, which launched at MIPTV last month. Distraction has licensed the format to PLD Productions in Greece, for a September premiere, and …

LONDON, May 18: Two Way TV has reached a long term content deal with Virgin Media for its skill-based games service and its interactive gaming channels, The Winner Channel and The Roulette Channel. The content deal will enable Virgin Media …

LOS ANGELES/LONDON, May 18: HBO Latin America has acquired a package of three drama series and two British films from BBC Worldwide, including the film Magnificent Seven, starring Helena Bonham Carter. The drama series licensed to HBO Latin America include …

SHANGHAI, May 18: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios has signed a deal that will see the development and construction of MGM Studio World, a lifestyle center in Shanghai, China, built around the MGM brand and its intellectual properties. The agreement is with Hong …

CANNES/SANTA MONICA, May 18: StudioCanal-owned Optimum Releasing and Lionsgate U.K. have formed a joint venture to acquire U.K.-based DVD distributor Elevation Sales. The acquisition will become operational in September, and the company will retain the name Elevation Sales and its …

LONDON, May 18: Five has beat out the BBC in acquiring the British rights to the hit Australian soap Neighbours from FremantleMedia Enterprises. Neighbours will premiere on Five’s main channel and digital offering Five Life in 2008. Airing on Australia’s …