Top Stories

NEW YORK, March 11: Howard Smith has been promoted to executive VP of Nickelodeon Recreation, the global division that operates the company’s live tours, theme parks, hotels and cruises. Smith most recently served as senior VP of the division, and …

MOSCOW/STOCKHOLM, March 11: Modern Times Group has reached a deal to sell DTV Group, its Russian free-to-air network, to CTC Media for $395 million. MTG owns 39.5 percent of CTC, which is Russia’s largest independent television broadcaster. The transaction is …

MIAMI, March 11: Telemundo International has promoted Karina Etchison to the position of VP of sales in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Etchison will be based in Madrid, Spain, where Telemundo International operates and directs content distribution for the …

AMSTERDAM, March 11: The Dutch interactive TV and format outfit 2waytraffic has said that it is in “advanced negotiations” for a possible sale. The company, which acquired Celador International and the Who Wants to be a Millionaire? franchise at the …

CANNES, March 11: Didier Lombard, the chairman and CEO of France Telecom, has been tapped to deliver a keynote address entitled “Inventing a New Media TV Experience,” on Wednesday, April 9, at the 45th MIPTV featuring MILIA. In his keynote, …

LONDON, March 11: ITV Worldwide’s president and managing director, Peter Iacono has announced a proposal to combine the company’s distribution arm, Granada International, and its merchandising and licensing unit, Granada Ventures, into one unified business. If the proposals move ahead, …

SYDNEY, March 11: The Nine Network and Southern Star International have teamed up to purchase Kids Like Us, the production company responsible for the hit Australian children’s television series Hi-5. The acquisition is effective immediately. To date, 435 half-hour episodes …

NEW YORK, March 11: LimeLife and NBC Universal have teamed up to launch Law & Order: Celebrity Betrayal, a mobile-game extension for NBC’s long-running crime drama. Law & Order: Celebrity Betrayal will draw players into a complex murder mystery where …

BELFAST/NEW YORK, March 11: Next month, BBC Two Northern Ireland is set to debut Sesame Tree, a new-media project aimed at encouraging children to explore and appreciate the world around them. Launching on April 5 and 6 at 7:15 a.m., …

MAINZ, March 11: Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) has inked a deal with ZDF Enterprises for the exclusive licensing and merchandising rights to the hit Australian live-action property H2O—Just Add Water in the U.K. and France. NVCP will represent …