Top Stories

EL SEGUNDO, May 7: The DTH operator The DIRECTV Group has released its Q1 financials, with revenues up 17 percent to $4.6 billion and profits up 10 percent to $371 million. The company also noted a 17-percent hike in operating …

LONDON, May 7: Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) has upped Ross Hair to executive VP of international networks for Europe, with continuing responsibility for expanding business outside of the company’s London headquarters. Reporting to Andy Kaplan, SPTI's president of international …

NEW YORK, May 7: Bravo chief Lauren Zalaznick, today upped to a new role overseeing NBC Universal’s women’s and lifestyle entertainment cable networks, has unveiled Women@NBCU, which is being positioned as a combination of media assets reaching female viewers across …

MIAMI/NEW YORK, May 7: U.S. Hispanic network CaribeVisión has launched two new divisions—advertising and programming—to be led by Emilio Nicolas, Jr. and Carlos Barba, respectively. Nicolas has been named to the newly created position of president and CEO of advertising, …

STOCKHOLM, May 7: Zodiak Television kicked off 2008 with a record first quarter, posting a 51-percent rise in revenues to SEK 355.6 million ($58.8 million), with net profit more than doubling to SEK 24.7 million ($4.1 million) and operating profit …

LOS ANGELES, May 7: Shea Fontana has been named manager of children’s programming for PorchLight Entertainment, focusing on the development and sales of preschool and girl-skewing properties. Fontana joined the company in 2006 as an assistant, later serving as a …

LONDON, May 7: The BBC and ITV have rolled out their joint venture Freesat, a free digital satellite service reaching 98 percent of households in the U.K. Launched yesterday, Freesat has 80-plus free digital channels spanning television, radio and interactive—plus …

NEW YORK, May 7: Comedy Central has secured an agreement for the first broadcast-window premiere rights to a multi-picture package of comedies from The Weinstein Company. Comedy Central will have the first-window premiere rights to the full-length theatrical features Superhero …

STUDIO CITY, May 7: With revenues up 32 percent to $70.6 million in the first quarter, Crown Media Holdings, parent company of the Hallmark Channel in the U.S., has narrowed its net loss to $14.7 million, down from $40.2 million …

LONDON, May 7: Virgin1 has commissioned three one-off factual programs for its upcoming prime-time lineup, dubbed The Rude Season. Premiering this summer, the hour-long shock-doc tentatively titled My Free Boobs, from Amaze TV, explores the rising Internet trend of social-networking …