Top Stories

TORONTO/LONDON, October 7: DECODE Enterprises has closed a deal with Adastra Creative for the TV, DVD and consumer-products rights for Grandpa In My Pocket, a new live-action comedy series currently in production for CBeebies. DECODE plans to launch the 26×12-minute …

CANNES, October 7: Under the banner of “MIP Accelerators,” a slate of MIPCOM networking events will provide relationship-building and pitching opportunities for attendees. As Paul Johnson, the director of television at Reed MIDEM, explains, the ultimate goal, particularly in this …

SYDNEY/SINGAPORE/DUBAI, October 7: Entertainment production executives Ean Thorley, Chantal Prud’homme and Julio Himede have teamed up to launched Whatever Entertainment Group, which will specialize in creating large-scale events in the Asia Pacific and United Arab Emirates for broadcasters and other …

LONDON, October 7: Despite the economic downturn, advertising revenues worldwide will grow by 4.3 percent this year, according to ZenithOptimedia, led by markets like the Asia Pacific and Central and Eastern Europe. Worldwide advertising expenditure is forecast to reach $506.4 …

LONDON, October 7: Cake Entertainment is aligning with Melbourne-based Studio Moshi to produce a new comedic action animation series for the 6-to-11 set called El Mariachi. An original creation from Studio Moshi, El Mariachi is a 2-D 52×11-minute show that …

NEW YORK, October 7: MyNetworkTV received its highest viewership ever with the two-hour premiere of WWE Friday Night SmackDown last week. Previously broadcast on The CW, SmackDown also gave MyNetworkTV its highest viewership ever in males 18 to 34 and …

NEW YORK/MUMBAI, October 7: American Greetings Properties has signed a co-production deal with India’s DQ Entertainment to create a 52×11-minute television series for the Maryoku Yummy property. The first full-length episode will be available for screening at MIPCOM, with full …

LONDON, October 7: National Geographic Television International (NGTI) has closed a number of sales with French broadcasters for titles such as Mysteries of the Moose, Dino Autopsy and Incredible Human Machine. Canal Plus acquired the blue-chip specials Mysteries of the …

LOS ANGELES, October 7: Lifetime Movie Network has begun preproduction on The Natalee Holloway Story (working title), based on the real-life case of a U.S. teenage girl who disappeared while on vacation in Aruba. The movie is based on the …

LONDON, October 7: More than 20 hours of ESPN Classic’s sports content will be added each month to Go!View, a VOD service from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and SKY for PlayStation Portable (PSP) in the U.K. and Ireland. ESPN Classic …