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ISMANING: The German broadcaster SPORT1 has secured a rights package from Dorna Sports for MotoGP racing coverage through 2014. The motorcycle racing series will also be available in Austria and Switzerland on the pay-TV channel SPORT1+. With the current season, SPORT1 …

MONTREAL: Radio-Canada and France Télévisions Distribution have entered into a cross-distribution agreement, in an effort to increase the worldwide exposure of their programming. France Télévisions Distribution (FTD) will distribute and exploit Radio-Canada’s catalogue of educational programs, documentaries and news reports …

AMSTERDAM: Eric van Stade has exited his post as the CEO of SBS Broadcasting due to a "difference of opinion" as to how the company should move forward, with Georgette Schlick taking over the role. Schlick becomes the first female …

VANCOUVER: Rainmaker Entertainment is partnering with Jane Startz to develop and produce two family feature films. The two films will be produced by Startz and Catherine Winder, the president and executive producer of Rainmaker Entertainment animation studio. Startz formed her …

PARIS: The Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel (CSA) has put out a call for applications for six HD channels to broadcast on France’s DTT network. The deadline for applications is January 3, 2012, with the selection taking place in mid-March. The formal …

MUNICH: SevenOne International has sold 10 one-hour episodes of The Indestructibles to the new German pay-TV channel Spiegel TV Wissen, which went on air October 4. The series is produced by Storyhouse Productions and has already aired on National Geographic’s …

LONDON: Pre-tax profit for the first quarter at BSkyB rose 33 percent on the year-ago period to £307 million, on revenues that were up 9 percent to £1.66 billion. The U.K. pay-TV operator reported 10.4 million customers, which included 3.9 …

NEW YORK: Spike TV has ordered a fourth season of the original series 1000 Ways to Die from Original Productions. The fourth season, consisting of 13 episodes, will premiere in March 2012. The series features some of the most outrageous …

STOCKHOLM: Net sales were up 3 percent in the third quarter at Modern Times Group (MTG), though pre-tax profits slipped 7 percent to SEK439 million ($66.6 million). Total net income for the third quarter was down 15 percent, from SEK359 …

NEW YORK: American Greetings Properties (AGP) and licensing agents Cookie Jar Entertainment and Medialink have signed two major deals for Strawberry Shortcake in China, expanding the brand into the apparel and publishing markets with new licensees. As the first publishing …