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LONDON: ITV has acquired the remaining 25-percent stake in GMTV from The Walt Disney Company, giving it full ownership in the breakfast-time channel. ITV, which had already owned a 75-percent share, said the acquisition is part of its strategy to …

ALVISO: Virgin Media has entered into an exclusive partnership with TiVo for the development of its next-generation, HD set-top boxes. TiVo will become the exclusive provider of middleware and user interface software for Virgin Media’s next generation of set-top boxes. …

SINGAPORE: The IPTV subscriber base in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow by 51 percent this year, according to research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan, closing 2009 at 9.4 million users and accounting for 37.6 percent of the global subscribers.  …

LOS ANGELES: American Idol returns to FOX with a two-night season premiere January 12 and 13, while 24 debuts with a two-night, four-hour event January 17 and 18. Immediately following American Idol on January 13, the new unscripted series Our …

LONDON: The BBC iPlayer will be available on a trial basis to a select group of Freesat users starting December 7, while the ITV Player will launch in beta in early 2010.  Freesat will be the first free-to-air service to …

SINGAPORE: ITV Studios Global Entertainment is to launch Granada TV, a general-entertainment channel, on December 1 on the StarHub pay-TV platform. Granada TV will now be available through both StarHub Cable TV and Singtel IPTV platforms. The channel will initially …

LONDON: Universal Networks International has acquired Stargate Universe (SGU) for SCI FI Channel in Poland, Romania, the Balkans, Latin America, Benelux and in German-speaking Europe via the Tele München Group. The deal with MGM Worldwide Television Distribution will see the series …

HALIFAX: E1 Entertainment, Amaze Film + Television and Big Motion Pictures have announced that principal photography is under way on the original comedy series Call Me Fitz (working title), which will air on The Movie Network and Movie Central in …

 LONDON: The UKTV channel Yesterday has commissioned two shows for 2010 as part of its year-long programming event The Spirit of 1940. Co-written and presented by John Nettles (Bergerac, Midsomer Murders), The Channel Islands at War will mark the 70th …

LONDON: MTV Networks International (MTVNI) has notched up a slew of program sales from its music and entertainment brands MTV, VH1 and BET. From MTV’s Laguna Beach franchise, The Hills and The City have been picked up by Brazil’s Globosat …