Top Stories

BURBANK/MOSCOW: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and V are among the titles included in the new multiyear volume deal Warner Bros. International Television Distribution (WBITD) has signed with Russia’s TNT Broadcasting Network. TNT has secured the Russian free-TV rights to …

LOS ANGELES: Engine Entertainment has hired Paulette Bensussen as senior VP of sales and business development, to be based in New York and report to CEO Chris Philip. Bensussen will be tasked with managing Engine’s international programming sales as well …

LONDON: Just in time for MIPTV, Elin Thomas takes over as the VP of format sales for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at BBC Worldwide. Thomas moves from her previous post as territory manager for Scandinavia at BBC Worldwide, …

LONDON: Endemol has secured the international format rights to the new game show The 20 Little Piggy Banks, which will be among the highlights of its MIPTV slate. Endemol will represent the format around the world, excluding Spain and France. The …

TORONTO: Shaftesbury Sales Company has licensed its new family TV movie Vacation with Derek—based on the hit series Life with Derek—to Nick Australia. The special, which Shaftesbury is highlighting at MIPTV, reunites Ashley Leggat and Michael Seater and is directed by …

SYDNEY: ABC in Australia has picked up a raft of drama and comedy programming from ITV Studios Global Entertainment its prime-time grid. This includes the feature-length drama Margot, produced by ITV Studios for the BBC. Another ITV production for the BBC, …

SAN FRANCISCO: TV Briefly is a new multiplatform CBS Interactive web original series that highlights the behind-the-scenes stories from some of CBS’s most popular shows. Presented by HP, the show features facts and information from the hit CSI: Miami, CSI: …

WASHINGTON: The FCC exceeded its authority in its 2008 ruling against Comcast Corporation over blocking some Internet traffic, a U.S. federal appeals court ruled today. Comcast was issued a citation in 2008 for limiting the Internet traffic of some subscribers …

SILVER SPRING: Kevin Bennett has been tapped as the new senior VP of programming at Discovery Channel, replacing Ken Schwab. Schwab will have direct responsibility for all aspects of Discovery Channel’s programming, including the scheduling of all dayparts. Reporting to Clark …

NORWALK: CABLEready Productions has produced a new half-hour series, The Minimalist, which will be unveiled at MIPDoc and MIPTV. The 13 HD episodes showcase food writer, author, culinary expert and TV personality Mark Bittman as he teaches viewers how to prepare simple …