World Screen

HELSINKI: Nordic Food Channel is a new service launching across Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark that focuses on Scandinavian food, cooking and healthy Nordic lifestyle. The channel debuts first in Finland, in September, with the further rollouts planned for later in …

SYDNEY: Australian pay-TV platform FOXTEL has made a bid to acquire rival operator AUSTAR for A$1.52 ($1.61) a share to create a merged subscription television provider generating revenues of more than A$2.8 billion ($3 billion) annually. The A$1.9 billion acquisition would, …

STOCKHOLM: Modern Times Group has signed a deal with Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution to bring a range of hit movies and TV shows to Viasat’s Scandinavian free-TV channels as well as the Viaplay multi-screen online video streaming service. The …

LOS ANGELES: The FX comedy series Wilfred, starring Elijah Wood and Jason Gann, has scored a slot in the U.K. on BBC Three for the fall. The live-action comedy debuts in the U.S. on FX on June 23. Wood stars as …

LONDON: Outdoor Channel has debuted in Russia on the country’s two largest platforms, satellite-TV operator NTV-PLUS and OnLime, which is owned by Russia’s National Cable Networks (NCN). The channel offers a mix of programming surrounding outdoor pursuits, action and adventure, including fishing, …

LOS ANGELES: VH1 has ordered new seasons for a trio of hit shows for fall, which will see the return of Pop Up Video to the channel’s lineup. After being off the air for ten years, Pop Up Video is …

SHANGHAI: Star China Media (SCM) has appointed Tian Ming as CEO and Cao Zhigao as COO, effective immediately. Ming was previously group VP of Shanghai Media Group (SMG), where he was responsible for SMG’s flagship channel, Dragon TV, and the …

LOS ANGELES: Disney Channel has ordered the live-action comedy Austin & Ally, which will begin production this summer and is slated to premiere in late 2011. The show stars newcomer Ross Lynch as Austin and Laura Marano of Without a Trace …

LONDON: Turner Broadcasting has snapped up the U.K. TV and licensing and merchandising rights to Chloe’s Closet from Moonscoop, and plans to air the show on Cartoonito this summer. The 52×11-minute preschool series is currently broadcast in France, the U.S., Italy, Russia …

LOS ANGELES: Bunim/Murray Productions has entered into a first-look agreement with The Operating Room to identify unscripted Israeli formats for potential development and production in the U.S. Bunim/Murray, part of the Banijay group, will have a first look at The …