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LORETO: Rainbow SpA, Big Bocca Productions and Panini have signed a deal to roll out 3-D figurines in the U.K. based on the boy-skewing property Huntik. The show was developed in partnership with m4e and is currently on air on Jetix in …

WEST PALM BEACH: Kristine Hunsinger, most recently with Lifetime Television, has been named senior VP of planning, scheduling and acquisitions at ION Media Networks. The appointment reflects ION’s expanded commitment to developing and acquiring new programming. Her mandate includes directing and …

PALO ALTO: Professionally produced short-form content made for the web rivals episodic television for entertainment value, according to a new survey on online viewing preferences. The survey, from the research firm Frank N. Magid Associates and the online video destination …

LOS ANGELES: A host of broadcasters around the world, including the BBC, TF1, Nine Network, NHK and Star World, have joined the U.S. networks in delivering live coverage of the Michael Jackson memorial in Los Angeles today, which is likely …

OTTAWA: Canada’s conventional broadcasters are praising a new ruling by the CRTC that ups the contribution that cable and satellite platforms must make towards local programming. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) says the Local Programming Improvement Fund will …

ROME: According to Italian regulator AGCOM, SKY Italia’s revenues topped those of Mediaset in 2008, coming in just behind state-controlled RAI. A speech by AGCOM’s chairman, Corrado Calabro, cited in the Wall Street Journal, notes: "SKY Italia has consolidated its position, becoming …

BURBANK: Christian Slater has joined the cast of Jerry Bruckheimer’s new ABC drama The Forgotten, which premieres Tuesday, September 22 at 10 p.m. The show focuses on a team of dedicated amateurs—“The Forgotten Network”—who work on murder cases involving unidentified …

STOCKHOLM: Viasat Broadcasting has added catch-up services from Swedish broadcasters TV4 Group and SVT to its on demand offering. TV4 Play joins Viasat OnDemand after SVT Play was added to the digital box last week. Viasat OnDemand was first launched as an …

LONDON: Production has begun on Going Postal, Sky1’s third adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, with a cast that includes David Suchet, Richard Coyle, Charles Dance and Claire Foy. The 2×2-hour HD production is slated to premiere on Sky1 and Sky1 HD in April …

NEW YORK: Peacock Productions, NBC’s nonfiction production outfit, has clinched a development deal with award-winning columnist and author Solomon Jones.  Jones began his writing career in 1992 while living in a homeless shelter. Contributing to the Philadelphia Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer and …