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NEEDHAM/LOS ANGELES: Echo Bridge Entertainment has secured a deal for LAPTV to air the teen series Degrassi: The Next Generation and crime drama Cold Squad in Spanish-speaking Latin America.  LAPTV picked up the exclusive pay-TV rights for all eight seasons …

ATLANTA: CNN.com is to premiere two new web-exclusive video series, VBS.TV on CNN.com and Indie Asia: On Tour with Handsome Furs, through content partnerships signed with Vice’s VBS.TV and Sub Pop Records, respectively.  Every Wednesday, starting today, CNN.com will feature original …

SÃO PAULO: The South Korean channel Tele-Novela HD is the first ever to air programs from TV Globo in high definition.  The channel will broadcast Globo mini-series like Maysa: When the Heart Sings; series such as Starting Over Again, Sound …

WASHINGTON: The Kaiser Family Foundation has found that 8- to 18-year-olds in the U.S. devote an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes to using entertainment media in a typical day, stacking up to more than 53 hours per week. …

TORONTO: The Fremantle Corporation heads into NATPE with a catalogue that includes the brand-new lifestyle series Hot Import Nights, which premiered in the U.S. on SPEED.  Hot Import Nights looks at some of the world’s best drivers, drag racers, drifters, …

BUENOS AIRES: Telefe International has an expanded catalogue for NATPE, including content from South Africa, ahead of this year’s World Cup.  Telefe is offering more than 80 hours of full HD material shot in South Africa over the last few …

LONDON: Mark Smith has joined Discovery Networks International as VP of strategy and mergers and acquisitions, leading business development opportunities, based in London.   Smith will report to Catherine Mullen, the senior VP of strategy and digital media for Discovery …

NEW YORK: The debut of Big Time Rush scored record ratings on Monday night on Nickelodeon, following a strong lead-in from a brand-new episode of iCarly.  Big Time Rush set a new record for Nick series as the highest-rated and …

BOULOGNE: TF1 and Endemol France have clinched a new partnership, covering non-scripted entertainment, documentaries and drama through June 30, 2012. The long-term renewal sees France’s market-leading broadcaster taking the exclusive free-to-air rights for game shows, reality TV, entertainment, major events, documentaries and …

LOS ANGELES: Producer Jamie Roberts has entered into a deal for his production company, Escalate Television, to develop and produce factual series and formats for ITV Studios.  Escalate has created and sold a number of original entertainment formats worldwide and …