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LOS ANGELES: Elie Dekel, who previously headed up licensing and merchandising at 20th Century Fox, is joining the private-investment firm Saban Capital Group (SCG) as its managing director, effective immediately, based in the Los Angeles office. Dekel will report to Adam Chesnoff. …

LONDON: NBC Universal Global Networks has launched SCI FI on Cyfra+ in Poland, adding to distribution on the "n" and Multimedia platforms in the country. SCI FI’s Polish expansion follows the rollout of Universal Channel on Cyfra+ last month, adding more …

MADRID: Luis Bassat, the Spanish advertising veteran who currently serves as honorary chairman of the Bassat Ogilvy España Group, is on board for laSexta’s version of the Mark Burnett format The Apprentice. Spain is set to launch its own version …

SINGAPORE: BBC Worldwide Channels Asia is bringing BBC Lifestyle to the South Korean market for the first time with carriage on SK Broadband, which is also adding BBC Entertainment to its lineup. BBC Entertainment and BBC Lifestyle will be available on …

MONTREAL: Etan Cohen (Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa and Tropic Thunder) will receive the comedy writer of the year award at the Just for Laughs Comedy Conference in Montreal, while Todd Phillips (The Hangover) is to receive the award for comedy …

SAN FRANCISCO: Effective immediately, Joy Tashjian Marketing Group (JTMG) will handle all major licensing programs and merchandising campaigns for LX.TV’s television and online content, which includes Open House, 1stLook, My 1st Time, I Do and On the Rocks: The Search for …

NEW YORK: Former K2 Pictures principal Jay Peterson has been appointed to the newly created post of senior VP of production and development for Original Media. Based in New York, Peterson will report directly to Original Media’s CEO, Charlie Corwin. …

TORONTO: The animation studio guru has brought on Janice Jacobs as producer for its episodic and film department. Jacobs joins guru with more than 20 years experience as a producer, production manager and line producer for animated CGI feature films, …

MIAMI: Jose Tolosa expands his role at MTV Networks Latin America (MTVNLA) to include responsibilities for MTV Networks International (MTVNI) as well, in a post as senior VP of strategy and business development.  Tolosa, formerly the VP of strategy and …

NEW YORK: The award-winning writer, producer and director Jack D. Ferraiolo has returned to Scholastic Media’s animation studio division, Soup2Nuts, in a new position as development executive. Ferraiolo is responsible for developing new and existing properties at Soup2Nuts’s Boston-area studios …