Top Stories

TORONTO: Production is under way on Copper, the new drama developed by Thump Inc. and produced in partnership with E1 Entertainment for simulcast on Global in Canada and ABC in the U.S. later this year. The 13×1-hour series was commissioned …

SHEFFIELD: Early bird registration is now open for the Sheffield Doc/Fest 2009, which introduces two new awards this year: The Sheffield Inspiration Award and the Sheffield Jury Award. The Sheffield Inspiration Award recognizes a person who has inspired the doc …

HILVERSUM: Endemol has received its first European commission on the new game show The Whole 19 Yards, with Spain’s Antena 3 on board for the format, which is also being piloted by CBS in the U.S. Endemol Spain has been commissioned …

LOS ANGELES: Fox Television Studios’ new mystery drama Persons Unknown, produced in Mexico City in association with Televisa and RAI, has been picked up for a U.S. slot by NBC. The series follows a group of strangers who wake up …

SANTA MONICA: Lionsgate has picked up the North American home-entertainment distribution rights to No Greater Love, a love story with themes of faith. Lionsgate holds the rights to distribute the title on DVD, VOD and EST. The film, scheduled for …

NEW YORK: British entrepreneur Theo Paphitis, one of the investors featured on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den, has joined Marvel Entertainment’s International Advisory Board. Comprised of business leaders from key international growth markets, the board works with Marvel executives to explore opportunities for …

SILVER SPRING: Discovery Networks International (DNI) is launching a multi-player, multi-language online space game, called Helium 3, via its international websites. The game complements space and science programming airing on Discovery Channel around the world this summer. The game launches in …

LOS ANGELES: The National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) acknowledged excellence in professionally generated video web series at the second annual LATV Fest Next TV Competition. The winners were Lexus: Parts Art (branded entertainment), Natural Hazards (comedy), Bit Museum …

ATLANTA: TNT launched its third night of original programming to strong numbers, with 3.9 million viewers tuning in for the premiere of the second season of Leverage and 3.5 million viewers watching the new Jerry Bruckheimer police drama Dark Blue. …

HONG KONG: The Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) has expressed concerns over a new tax being levied on set-top boxes imported to India, arguing it could slow the growth of the country’s pay-TV market. Earlier this month, India’s …