World Screen

WASHINGTON, August 31: National Geographic Channels International has commissioned Lion Television to produce Outbreak Investigation, a six-part series that looks at the world’s most baffling outbreaks of diseases. The 6×1-hour production rolls out this fall on the channel in 163 …

LONDON, August 31: Icon Film Distribution, the British arm of Mel Gibson’s outfit Icon, has signed a deal with Arts Alliance Media (AAM) to make its movies available on a download-to-rent basis in the U.K. The titles will be available …

LONDON, August 31: RDF Media Group has reached a deal to acquire the Glasgow-based indie The Comedy Unit for initial consideration of £6.5 million, £4 million of which will be payable in cash and £2.5 million in RDF shares. The …

LOS ANGELES/LONDON, August 31: Elisabeth Murdoch’s British production outfit Shine is working with Twentieth Television on My Games Fever, a participation television game show that will launch on MyNetwork TV at the end of this year. Slated for a December …

MUNICH, August 31: Discovery Networks International is set to launch its new free-to-air channel DMAX in Germany tomorrow (September 1), targeting male viewers aged 20 to 39. DMAX is targeting young, upscale men with a range of international and German …

BERLIN/CULVER CITY, August 31: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) announced today plans to roll out its Blu-ray Disc (BD) titles beyond North America, beginning this fall. The rollout will begin in the fall, coinciding with the first availability of Blu-ray …

PARIS, August 31: France's Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industry has authorized the merger of French pay-TV platforms CanalSat and TPS. Lagardere is joining Vivendi, TF1 and M6 in the merged Canal+ France venture, taking a 20-percent stake with …

BERLIN, August 31: Just a month since entering into a VOD deal with ProSiebenSat.1 Media’s broadband platform maxdome, Sony Pictures Television International has reached a similar deal with T-Online’s VOD service in Germany. Under the terms of the deal, a …

SINGAPORE, August 31: Asia-Pacific pay-TV revenues will increase from last year’s $19.24 billion to $45.2 billion in 2012, driven in large part by the rollout of DTH platforms, according to a report from consulting company Frost & Sullivan. Satellite DTH …

ATLANTA, August 30: Peter Dougherty has been named senior VP of branding for Cartoon Network in the U.S., a newly created position at the channel. Dougherty will be responsible for the creative execution and communication of the Cartoon Network brand …