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SILVER SPRING: Discovery Communications recorded a profit of $106 million for the fourth quarter on revenues of $904 million, helped along by gains at its U.S. networks. Discovery’s networks in the U.S. saw revenues rise by 8 percent to $536 …

NEW YORK: Private-equity firm Veronis Suhler Stevenson (VSS) has revised its 2009 forecasts for the media and communications industry, predicting a 0.4-percent decline in the U.S., versus its previous projection of 4.9-percent growth. The company has issued a special Mid-Term …

ATLANTA: For its third annual celebration of national recess week, Cartoon Network has signed Olympic gold medalist Dwyane Wade to once again serve as the spokesperson, along with planning a host of other activities. The week-long initiative, which kicks off …

NEW YORK: The value of merger and acquisition activity in the U.S. media and entertainment sector was $150.8 billion in 2008, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ 2009 M&A Insights on the Entertainment and Media Industry report, with 1,000 completed transactions, down 17 …

BURBANK: Cookie Jar Entertainment has secured a deal to continue programming CBS’s Saturday-morning kids’ block for an additional three seasons. Cookie Jar inherited the CBS slot through its acquisition of DIC Entertainment, which has been programming the block since the fall of …

LOS ANGELES: Slumdog Millionaire reigned supreme at last night’s Academy Awards, taking home eight statuettes, including best picture and best director for Danny Boyle. The Celador Films Production, distributed by Fox Searchlight, a rags-to-riches tale set in Mumbai, also nabbed the …

LOS ANGELES: The Screen Actors Guild has rejected the final offer from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), citing the "surprise demand" to extend the terms of the proposed contract to 2012. The National Board of Directors …

DUBAI: Universal Studios Dubailand has signed an agreement with Sesame Workshop to develop and build three Sesame Street-themed entertainment venues for the first Universal Studios theme park in the Middle East. The three Sesame Street attractions within the Park’s Surf …

LONDON: Five and Channel 4 have each submitted applications to Ofcom for the fourth HD service slot on DTT platform Freeview, with the regulator expected to make its decision in April. Five is looking to launch its HD offering by the …

TORONTO: iTunes costumers in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. now have access to a number of titles distributed by E1 Entertainment, spanning drama, kids’ and documentary. Twilight is distributed by E1 in both Canada and the U.K., and by Summit …