Top Stories

NEW YORK: Bravo has picked up the new docuseries NYC Prep, which follows six affluent teenagers who are part of Manhattan’s social circle. The series will premiere on June 16 at 11 p.m., moving to its regular Tuesday, 10 p.m. …

BOSTON: The international representation rights for the high-school election documentary Frontrunners have been awarded to APT Worldwide. Produced by Oscilloscope Laboratories, the film follows the student council presidential campaign at Stuyvesant High School in New York City. Frontrunners, done in classic …

ALVISO: Research on the viewing habits of TiVo subscribers reveals that shows in 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. slots experienced a marked increase in timeshifted viewing over programs in the 10 p.m. slot. The data, from February, for TiVo’s Stop||Watch ratings …

NEW YORK/SAN BRUNO: Universal Music Group (UMG) is joining forces with Google-owned YouTube for VEVO, a music and video entertainment service delivering content from the record label. YouTube has also renewed and extended its partnership with UMG that allows users …

LONDON: A new Microsoft report, Europe Logs On: Internet Trends of Today & Tomorrow, predicts that the Internet will overtake traditional TV as the most-consumed form of media in the region in June 2010, averaging 14.2 hours per week, versus 11.5 …

BURBANK: The Bachelorette, Here Come the Newlyweds and Wipeout are among the series returning to ABC’s schedule this summer, alongside a trio of new shows. The Bachelorette will kick off with a special two-hour premiere on May 18 at 9 …

LONDON: For the first time in the U.S., BBC Worldwide is making content from its natural-history slate available for purchase and download on the iTunes Store, under the newly launched brand BBC Earth. BBC Earth encompasses the BBC’s natural-history content …

LONDON: Former Playhouse Disney executive Paula Rosenthal has been appointed senior VP of creative for Chorion, responsible for managing a production slate and creating new content. She joins Chorion’s senior creative team, working with Diana Manson, the executive VP of …

LOS ANGELES: The comedy series Eastbound & Down has been picked up for a second season by HBO, with production of new episodes set to begin later this year for a 2010 debut.  The series tells the story of Kenny …

BRUSSELS: The European Commission has launched a public consultation on new rules governing state funding of public-service broadcasters. After it receives feedback, the Commission is planning to adopt a new Broadcasting Communication directive later this year. The proposed new rules are …