World Screen

BEIJING: Chinese Internet content platform Youku has signed a deal to add between 400 and 450 Warner Bros. titles to its online premium VOD service. The three-year deal was signed with CAV Warner Home Entertainment Co., Ltd., Warner Bros. Home …

NEW YORK: John Taite, formerly the VP of programming strategy at BBC Worldwide America, has been upped to VP of branded entertainment and integrated ad sales solutions. Taite will work with ad sales, programming and marketing teams, and will report …

LOS ANGELES: Beth Belew and Liz Levenson have joined the programming department at Rive Gauche Television. Belew was appointed VP of development and acquisitions. She will develop original programming for the U.S. market, formats for the global market and seek …

LOS ANGELES: Gary Marenzi has exited his post as co-president of worldwide television at MGM Studios, a role he has held since 2007. Marenzi’s departure comes ahead of the arrival of Roma Khanna as president of the studio’s television group …

ESPOO: David Maisel, the former chairman of Marvel Studios, has been tapped as a special advisor to Rovio, the company behind the megahit Angry Birds franchise, tasked with building the Finnish company’s entertainment strategy. Maisel, whose tenure at Marvel saw …

MONTREAL: Sally Catto has been hired as the executive VP for Cineflix Studios, charged with building up the scripted division in Canada, as well as developing and overseeing Canadian drama and comedy programming. Catto will report to Glen Salzman, the …

LONDON: Karsten Bartholin is taking on the role of head of development at FremantleMedia’s Danish production arm, Blu, starting August 1. Bartholin co-created Babyfoot, the company behind such formats as Gay Army, Bingo Banko and Big In Japan, which ran …

SCOTTSDALE: While cord-cutting has not yet reached levels that would cause concern for pay-TV operators, ABI Research has issued a new report indicating that subscription platforms must embrace online video in order to keep up with changes in media-consumption habits. Surveying 2,000 …

TORONTO: Filmed at the Toronto Just For Laughs Festival, the new 90-minute special The Chinese Comedy & Variety Show, featuring Jiang Kun and Mark ‘Dashan’ Rowswell, has been produced in Mandarin with English subtitles for broadcast in China as well …

COLOGNE: ohm:tv’s new format The Impostor, a series from Spain’s Pausoka Entertainment that combines the reality and game-show genres, has secured options with a number of production companies and channels across Europe. The format was launched at this year’s MIPTV. …