Top Stories

PAWTUCKET: In her new role as executive producer at Hasbro Studios, Kathy Samuels will be responsible for overseeing production on a number of creative initiatives, covering a variety of program genres. Samuels joins from CTDG, where she served as senior VP and was …

BUDAPEST: HBO Central Europe has appointed Marc Lorber to the new position of senior VP of original programming and production and executive producer. Lorber comes from a role as senior VP for production at MarVista Entertainment, where he led their …

MILAN: News Corporation is to launch a new digital terrestrial channel in Italy, Cielo, on December 1. Cielo, which is Italian for Sky, will reach 12 million homes on Italy’s digital broadcasting platform. News Corporation Stations Europe—a unit of News Corp. …

NEW YORK: General Electric (GE) and Comcast Corporation have agreed on a value of around $30 billion for a joint venture between NBC Universal and Comcast, according to reports.  The resolution brings the companies one step closer to firming up …

HONG KONG: The hit Endemol format The Best Years of Our Lives has been commissioned in China by Shanghai Media Group for a prime-time slot on Dragon TV. Ford will act as the lead sponsor for the advertiser-funded series, in …

LOS ANGELES: TV Land and TV Guide Network have struck a deal to jointly acquire the basic cable rights to the hit HBO comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm.  Curb Your Enthusiasm will air on TV Guide Network for a multi-year run …

BURBANK: A second season of the comedy series JONAS, starring the pop sensation The Jonas Brothers, has been ordered by Disney Channel.  Production on season two will start in February, for a premiere in the middle of 2010. The new …

NEW YORK: USA Network has acquired the exclusive off-network rights to the CBS drama NCIS: Los Angeles.  USA will have access to weekly early exhibitions from season one beginning September 2011 and the right to start stripping the series in …

LONDON: FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME), TVNZ and food writer Annabel Langbein are working together on a new 13-part series, Free Range Cooking with Annabel Langbein. New Zealand public broadcaster TVNZ will produce and broadcast the new show, with FME managing worldwide …

NEW YORK: The Mike Judge animated comedy The Goode Family will air its complete first season on Comedy Central beginning January 6, 2010. The original comedy first premiered on ABC in May, but was cancelled. The completed episodes of The Goode Family …