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RIO DE JANEIRO, December 10: Globo TV International has named Marcelo Mattar as the new international sales manager for Western Europe. In his new role, Mattar will oversee strategic management for the region, including content negotiations for all platforms of …

WASHINGTON D.C./NEW YORK, December 10: Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, has appointed Aura Kenny Dunn as assistant VP for government affairs. Dunn will manage Sesame Workshop’s government relations efforts and advance the organization’s visibility in federal policy …

NEW YORK, December 7: James Murdoch is stepping down as the chief executive of BSkyB to succeed his father, Rupert Murdoch, as non-executive chairman of the satellite platform and take on the new role of chairman and chief executive for …

LONDON, December 7: Peter Orton, the founder and former chairman of HIT Entertainment, has passed away after a long battle with cancer. Orton retired from HIT in 2005 following its sale to Apax Partners. That same year, he was honored …

SANTA CLARA/LOS ANGELES, December 7: Macrovision, a provider of digital-content protection technologies, has reached a deal to acquire EPG-provider Gemstar-TV Guide International for $2.8 billion in cash and stock. Under the terms of the agreement, each share of Gemstar-TV Guide …

NEW YORK, December 7: British adventurer and environmentalist David de Rothschild has been tapped to host a new environmental series pilot produced by NBC's Peacock Productions for the Sundance Channel. Peacock Productions, NBC’s nonfiction production unit, has begun production on …

LONDON, December 7: Terry Bate has increased his stake to 18.66 percent of the share capital of the U.K.’s Talent Group, the holding company of Talent Television, and is expected to succeed Robert Benton as chairman of the board. Altogether, …

PARIS, December 7: TV France International’s second Rendez-Vous in Rio, slated for December 9 to 11 at the Sofitel Hotel, will be attended by 31 French exporters and more than 75 buyers from the region. Buyers from nine countries in …

NEW YORK, December 7: SCI FI Channel has given the go-ahead for a new reality competition pilot, Run For Money, based on a hit Japanese format from Fuji Television. The pilot is set to begin production in January in Los …

SANTA MONICA, December 7: Lionsgate has expanded its agreement with MGA Entertainment by picking up additional home entertainment and VOD distribution rights to MGA’s Bratz franchise in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. The new extended agreement sees Lionsgate becoming …