Top Stories

NEW YORK: On the heels of a recent episode that delivered 7.4 million viewers, iCarly has been given a fifth-season renewal by Nickelodeon for premiere in 2012. The recent episode on April 9 secured a whopping 7.4 million viewers, establishing it …

MUMBAI: Star India is launching five of its channels in HD, including the flagship Star Plus as well as Nat Geo. Star Plus, Star Movies, Star Gold, Star World and Nat Geo will all be available in Asli HD. Star says …

NEW YORK: Frozen Planet, a co-pro with the BBC, is among the upcoming new highlights for Discovery Channel in the 2011-2012 season, alongside Where’s My Mammoth? and a new season of Shark Week. On the series front, meanwhile, the network has …

NEW YORK: A second season of Mentorn International’s An Idiot Abroad and the Ridley Scott project Prophets of Science Fiction are among SCIENCE’s lead properties for the 2011-2012 season. “SCIENCE always has challenged viewers to look beyond the known and rethink their …

DOHA: Al Jazeera English has added another 1 million subscribers to its Spanish distribution base after closing a carriage deal with leading cable platform ONO. The international news network is being added to ONO’s TV Esencial package. This adds to …

TEL AVIV: FremantleMedia’s Dutch production arm, Blue Circle, will produce a local version of Armoza Formats’ factual-entertainment title Connected for NED3. Armoza inked the deal with NCRV, whose head of formats, William Hoes, says that casting is under way for …

LONDON/SANTA MONICA: Content Media Corporation has extended its co-ownership and distribution pact with reality production outfit Collins Avenue, which has just secured a commission from Animal Planet for the taxidermy docu-series Romance is Dead. Content first got into business with Jeff …

CINCINNATI: Procter & Gamble and Walmart are working on five more family movies for this year, after kicking off their Family Movie Night initiative one year ago. Family Movie Night films sponsored by P&G and Walmart kicked off April 16, …

LOS ANGELES: Toei Animation has announced several L&M deals in Latin America for Dragon Ball, Digimon and Sailor Moon. For Dragon Ball, deals have been closed with Brazil’s Riclan for bubble gum and lollypops; Mexico’s Neolingo for toys; El Salvador’s Productos Alimenticios …

NEW YORK: Doug Rousso has been appointed as chief technology officer for the CBS Corporation, a newly created position in which he will oversee infrastructure technologies across the company. Rousso joins CBS on Monday and will report to Joseph Ianniello, executive VP and …