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WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. president Barack Obama gave a warning to Americans who have not prepared for the digital transition that their sets could go dark on June 12 if they do not get a converter box soon. "I want to …

NEW YORK: Abbe Raven, the president and CEO of A&E Television Networks (AETN), is poised to head up the new Hearst/Disney-ABC/NBC Universal venture that would encompass ten TV brands, including A&E, HISTORY, Lifetime and Lifetime Movie Network. According to reports, …

RESTON: Americans watched a record 16.8 billion videos in April, a 16-percent increase from March, due in large part to users of YouTube, according to comScore. Google sites, again, ranked first with 6.8 billion videos viewed, leading 40 percent of …

SINGAPORE: BBC Worldwide Channels Asia is to launch BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle and CBeebies on StarHub TV in Singapore on August 1, reaching some 527,000 pay-TV subscribers. The launches will significantly expand BBC Worldwide’s presence in Asia, where the new …

TORONTO: Breakthrough Films & Television has begun production on a second season of the kids’ reality show Think Big for Canada’s TVO, Knowledge and SCN networks. Think Big follows the world’s most innovative youngsters as they create new inventions for …

SYDNEY: AS Kanal 2 in Estonia has struck a deal with Southern Star International for a further five seasons, totaling 1,150 half-hours, of Home & Away. Now in its 21st year, Home & Away airs in the U.K. twice daily …

LOS ANGELES/TORONTO: E1 Entertainment has continued to expand its presence in the Latin American market, closing a number of deals for titles such as The Bridge and The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler at the L.A. Screenings. The 13×1-hour procedural …

LONDON: Sweden’s TV4 has commissioned its own version of ITV Global Entertainment’s hit format I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! to be produced by ITV Studios-owned Silverback Productions. The news follows NBC’s launch of a U.S. version I’m a …

LOS ANGELES: Eurocinema, a network dedicated to bringing European films to North American audiences, will launch on Cablevision this month, making the VOD service available in 24 million households in the U.S. and Canada. At launch, Cablevision will feature Eurocinema …

LAS VEGAS/LONDON/NEW YORK: Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) has signed international electronics licensing deals with The Linmark Group in Hong Kong and U.S.-based Sakar International. The ranges will be inspired by Nickelodeon’s hit properties such as animation icon SpongeBob …