Top Stories

NEW YORK: In advance of the new Star Trek feature film, CBS Consumer Products is expanding its merchandising program for the iconic sci-fi franchise, extending its current deal with Mattel to include a full range of die-cast vehicles that will hit …

LAS VEGAS: Steve Rotfeld Productions (SRP) has scored renewals for three of its weekly kids’ series: Wild About Animals, Awesome Adventres and Whaddyado. Wild About Animals and Awesome Adventures are presently cleared in 29 of the top 30 markets in …

VANCOUVER: Studio B Productions, behind the kids’ series Martha Speaks and Kid vs. Kat, has signed a development deal with Slap Happy Cartoons for the new 2-D animated series B.O.O.M. Boys. Targeting kids aged 6 to 11, B.O.O.M. Boys is …

PARIS: New research from Euroconsult and NPA indicate that the number of HDTV-equipped households in Europe will rise from 59 million today to 170 million by 2013. Between now and 2010 alone, Euroconsult and NPA estimate a rapid gain to …

LONDON: Imira Entertainment landed further broadcast and publishing deals for Spellbound Entertainment’s preschool series The Koala Brothers in Spain. TVE bought the free-TV rights to all 39 half-hour episodes of the award-winning preschool series, while Planeta Junior, part of Grup …

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Just two days after gaining the support of the Senate, the bill to delay the analogue switch-off in the U.S. has been voted down by the House. House Republicans led the defeat of the bill in a 258-168 …

LOS ANGELES: BabyFirstTV has expanded its reach with a launch in Portugal, and has appointed Vivendi Entertainment Canada as its exclusive Canadian DVD distributor. Offering the full 24/7 BabyFirstTV channel broadcast in English and soon Portuguese, ZON TVCabo is making …

LOS ANGELES: The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) are set to resume contract renewal talks early next week. In a brief statement, the organizations said they would meet February 3 and 4 …

LONDON: Bun Scrase-Dickins is taking on responsibility for acquiring new programming for BBC Worldwide’s portfolio of five branded thematic channels. Reporting to David Weiland, the senior VP of pragramming, Scrase-Dickins will oversee acquisions for BBC Entertainment, BBC HD, BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle …

MUNICH: ProSiebenSat.1 has extended its volume deal with CBS Paramount International Television, covering shows like 90210 and the upcoming Harper’s Island. "I’m delighted that we can continue our successful cooperation with CBS," said Andreas Bartl, executive board member for German …