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TORONTO: VIVA, Corus Entertainment’s women-skewing Canadian channel targeting the baby-boomer generation, has launched a daily programming block dedicated to all things culinary. Airing Monday to Sunday at 4 p.m., VIVA Cuisine will feature a lineup that focuses on food and …

NEW YORK: The Internet TV platform Joost, set up by Skype founders Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom, is said to be looking for a buyer, with Time Warner Cable reportedly among the companies exploring a bid for the service. Launched two …

LOS ANGELES: The Style Network has a new unscripted series, tentatively titled Mothers and Daughters of Dallas, set for an eight-episode run this fall. The docuseries follows the lives of fashion- and status-obsessed mothers and daughters from the Texas social …

NEW YORK: Showcasing its upcoming programming slate at its Upfront presentation in New York, BET Networks announced the launch of a new entertainment and music channel, called Centric, targeting affluent African-American adults. The new service, slated for a Q4 rollout …

BURBANK: Twelve returning series on the ABC schedule, including Ugly Betty, Brothers & Sisters and Private Practice, have been given early pickups for the 2009-2010 season. Ugly Betty, currently in its third season, was among the shows whose future had been …

NEW YORK: Smithsonian Networks and Time Warner Cable have inked a multiplatform distribution deal, which includes the Smithsonian Channel joining the service provider’s lineup of HD channels.  Smithsonian Channel content will also be available in a variety of formats to Time Warner Cable customers. …

LOS ANGELES: The hour-long original series White Collar (working title) has been added to USA Network’s lineup. The series stars Matthew Bomer (Chuck, Tru Calling), Tim DeKay (Tell Me You Love Me, Carnivale), Tiffani Thiessen (What About Brian, Fastlane) and …

NEW YORK: HBO Documentary Films has acquired the U.S. rights to a special about the kidnap and murder of an Afghani interpreter by the Taliban, for broadcast on the premium channel this summer. Fixer: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi will have its …

LOS ANGELES: Jordan Hoffner, the director of content partnerships at YouTube, will deliver the opening keynote at NATPE’s third annual LATV Fest, which takes place July 8 to 9 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles. Participants at the two-day …

ORLANDO: The new Golf Channel original series Golf in America, hosted by Law & Order‘s Anthony Anderson, will kick off its ten-episode run on June 23 at 10 p.m. The series will uncover real-life stories, featuring larger-than-life characters and inspirational …