World Screen

HAMILTON, August 29: Private equity firm Apax Partners has reached a deal to acquire 49.7 percent of Ronald S. Lauder’s interest in Central European Media Enterprises (CME) for approximately $190 million in cash, giving it a 7.8 percent interest in …

HONG KONG, August 28: Buena Vista International Television–Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP) has appointed Alistair Jennings to the role of sales director for Australia and New Zealand, where he succeeds Greg Johnson, who was recently promoted to VP of sales for the …

PALISADES PARK, August 28: Alfred Haber Distribution has secured the international distribution rights to the Ultimate Blackjack Tour, launching on the CBS Sports block next month. The first season of 10×1-hour episodes premieres September 16 on CBS. The network has …

TEL AVIV, August 28: Israeli production company Gil Productions has received two entertainment format commissions from Keshet, including a local adaptation of Endemol’s Take It or Leave It. In addition to the Endemol game show, Gil will adapt September Films' …

LOS ANGELES, August 28: BabyFirstTV, a premium channel in the U.S. featuring content for babies and toddlers, is launching a new daily strip on parenting called ParentsFirst. The new series features tips and advice on parenting topics. It will air …

LONDON, August 28: TG4 in Ireland has joined the BBC in pre-buying RocketBoy & Toro, a new animated series that Indigo Film & Television will be launching at MIPCOM Junior. The show, scheduled for delivery in early 2008, is aimed …

OTTAWA, August 28: Amberwood has taken on its first third-party property for distribution, Noreen Young Productions’ Under the Umbrella Tree, a puppet-based series that first aired on CBC in Canada and Disney Channel in the U.S. The show stars the …

SEOUL, August 28: KBS World, the international cable and satellite channel operated by the Korean terrestrial broadcaster KBS, has inked carriage deals in the Philippines and Singapore. Beginning September 1, the channel will be available in the Philippines on cable …

SINGAPORE, August 28: The Media Development Authority of Singapore has granted licenses to Reeltime Media and OBSTV Asia to begin offering their broadband platforms in the island nation. Reeltime Media, an Australian broadband TV service provider, has been awarded a …

PARIS/LONDON, August 28: Sony Pictures Television International’s two new AXN-branded channels have begun broadcasting off the Eutelsat W2 satellite in Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary. AXN Crime and AXN Sci-Fi broadcast 18 hours a day with soundtracks available in Bulgarian, …