Top Stories

LONDON, June 14: Digital Rights Group (DRG) has reached a deal to acquire Zeal Television’s event and format distribution division, which will be rebranded as Zeal Entertainment. Backed by IMAC, Ingenious Media’s venture fund, DRG was established this year to …

LONDON, June 14: Entertainment One, a distributor of home entertainment products in North America, has conditionally agreed to acquire the U.K.’s Contender Limited and its Contender Entertainment Group subsidiary for £49.4 million in cash and shares. Contender Entertainment Group is …

LOS ANGELES, June 14: Program Partners has sold the ten-part Canadian mini-series Terminal City to the Sundance Channel for a U.S. premiere in early 2008. Starring Maria Del Mar (Blue Murder, Pentagon Papers) and Gil Bellows (The Weatherman, Shawshank Redemption, …

LONDON, June 14: In a non-exclusive three-year volume deal, Granada International has licensed a selection of titles to Orange for subscription video-on-demand and video-on-demand in France. The initial selection that Granada licensed to Orange includes Space 1999, The Persuaders, Brideshead …

SINGAPORE/KUALA LUMPUR, June 14: AETN All Asia Networks (AAAN)—a joint venture of A&E Television Networks and Astro All Asia Networks—will launch The History Channel and Crime & Investigation Network on PCCW’s now TV IPTV platform in Hong Kong tomorrow. On …

LONDON, June 14: In an exclusive development deal, the U.K.-based Channel X has granted FremantleMedia Enterprises the first option on all of its scripted comedy programming, with rights across a number of platforms. The deal will grant FME first option …

LOS ANGELES, June 13: Chris Bosco has been promoted to senior VP of finance at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, reporting to executive VP and CFO Steve Hendry. In his new position, Bosco takes on supervision of all financial matters for the studio’s …

LONDON, June 13: Five has named the BBC’s Richard Brent its head of scheduling, with him due to take up the position later this year. Brent will report directly to Jay Hunt, Five’s incoming director of programs, when she joins …

NEW YORK, June 13: WSN INC., the publishing group behind World Screen and a host of other publications for the international media business, has promoted Irene Lew to associate editor. Lew joined WSN in January as an editorial assistant, after …

NEW YORK, June 13: Advertising spending in the U.S. fell 0.6 percent in the first quarter of this year, mostly as a result of a decrease in spending on network TV, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus. Network TV advertising was down …