Top Stories

BURBANK: Production is under way on a new reality sports series, Next X, developed by Disney XD in association with ESPN, to debut across the new boy-skewing brand’s cross-platform services. The show features five of the world’s top professional action-sports …

TORONTO: Tricon Films & Television has closed a deal that sees Spanish outfit Redacción 7 producing a local version of Lone Eagle Entertainment’s game show Inside the Box, to air on Canal Sur 2. The game-show format plays off the …

NEW YORK: Former HBO executive Rishi Malhotra has been appointed as the president and COO of Saavn, a digital distributor of Bollywood entertainment, where he will oversee programming, distribution and strategic development. Saavn packages Bollywood movies, music and TV shows for digital platforms including …

PARIS/LONDON: Mitzi Berberi is taking on the role of head of legal and business affairs for Zodiak Entertainment Distribution, based in London with an office in Paris as well. Berberi will supervise and manage all legal activities for the company’s …

BURBANK: For the second month in a row, ABC.com outperformed the competition for online video viewing, delivering nine out of the top ten series viewed on broadcast websites. Dancing with the Stars took the top spot for March, with 3 …

ENGLEWOOD: DISH Network is launching high-definition feeds of BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Spike TV and VH1 at no additional cost to customers via a new agreement with MTV Networks and BET Networks. CMT HD, Comedy Central HD, MTV …

SUNNYVALE/REDMOND: After a series of merger talks last year, Yahoo! and Microsoft have resumed discussions, this time over a potential advertising partnership, reports indicate. Still at an early stage, the conversations between Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Yahoo!’s new CEO Carol …

CHATSWORTH: A host of films from Image Entertainment, including the British titles Edge of Love and Evil Aliens, are set to debut on U.S. VOD channel Eurocinema. Under a new agreement, a range of Image titles will premiere throughout 2009 …

NEW YORK: While CBS won Thursday night in total viewers thanks to Survivor, CSI and the new drama Harper’s Island, NBC had reason to celebrate with the promising debut outings of the John Wells’ cop drama Southland and the Amy Poehler …

REDMOND: In the run-up to the premiere of the fifth season of Deadliest Catch, Discovery Channel has teamed up with Microsoft Advertising for a simultaneous three-screen ad campaign, spanning mobile, Internet and gaming. Microsoft Advertising will integrate Discovery’s Deadliest Catch …