Top Stories

LONDON, December 3: The youth-targeted peer-to-peer news and information network Current has launched a new content affiliate program in partnership with The Guardian in the U.K. and the U.S. news and entertainment website Salon, featuring “vlogs” supplied by journalists and …

NEW YORK, December 3: Lightworks Enterprises has formed Lightworks Pictures, a new motion picture division that will develop and produce made-for-television and independent theatrical films, focusing on topics such as human relations, social justice and understanding among people. Lightworks Pictures …

LONDON/SYDNEY, December 3: Southern Star Entertainment has been commissioned to develop a new drama series titled Out of the Blue for BBC Daytime. The half-hour series will begin broadcasting next year on BBC One. John Edwards and Julie McGauran will …

PALISADES PARK, December 3: For the 19th consecutive year, The Recording Academy has named Alfred Haber, Inc. (AHI) as the exclusive international distributor for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. Key market sales have already been shored up worldwide with broadcasters …

TOKYO, December 3: Digimon Data Squad, the fifth season of Toei Animation’s animated series Digimon, has launched on Germany’s RTL II. The Digimon franchise already has broadcast deals in more than 40 countries throughout Europe, the Americas and Asia. Toei …

LONDON, December 3: According to ZenithOptimedia, global ad expenditure will grow 6.7 percent in 2008, up from 5.3 percent in 2007, thanks to the Olympic Games, elections in the U.S. and European football. The housing downturn and credit squeeze will …

VANCOUVER, December 3: Studio B Productions has closed broadcast deals with Canadian educational channels Knowledge Network and SCN for its animated short Clancy with the Puck. The short has already begun airing in high rotation on both Canadian networks. Additionally, …

SANTA MONICA/PARIS, December 3: Vivendi is taking a controlling stake in Activision in a deal intended to create the world’s largest pure-play video game publisher. Under the terms of the agreement, Vivendi Games will be merged with a wholly owned …

LONDON, December 3: BBC Worldwide has appointed Sparrowhawk Media’s Joyce Yeung to the newly created role of senior VP for global TV sales in Asia. Yeung will take up the post in early 2008. Currently the VP of sales and …

BURBANK, December 3: NBC has reportedly reached a deal for a prime-time programming block featuring unscripted content from Original Productions’ Thom Beers, whose credits include Discovery Channel’s popular Deadliest Catch. According to the New York Times, NBC will air at …