Top Stories

LONDON, May 29: In a multi-year deal, Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) has licensed a range of first-run feature films and television programming to Viasat Broadcasting for its six channels in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Among the first-run features included …

LONDON, May 29: Five has tapped the BBC’s Jay Hunt as its new director of programs, reporting to Lisa Opie, the broadcaster’s managing director of content. In February, Opie unveiled her plans to restructure Five’s programming department and hire a …

HILVERSUM, May 29: After a five-year break, Endemol International’s hit format Big Brother will return to Poland on TV4 this September. The new series will be produced by Endemol Polska and is scheduled to premiere on September 2. Nationwide casting …

LONDON, May 29: The Royal Television Society (RTS) has launched the 2007 Innovation Awards, formerly known as the Technology Awards, and has revamped the categories to reflect the rise of new technologies such as video on demand, mobile TV, IPTV, …

TORONTO, May 29: The Banff World Television Festival (BWTVF) has announced that Carol Mendelsohn, the executive producer and showrunner of the hit scripted drama series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, will receive this year’s Award of Excellence. The 28th edition of …

STOCKHOLM, May 29: Talpa Scandinavia, a subsidiary of the Dutch media group Talpa Media Holding, has announced that former Strix executives Magnus Abrahamsson and Jessica Ericstam have joined the company’s development team. Most recently, Abrahamsson served as the creative director …

LONDON, May 25: Distraction has secured new deals in Romania and France for the game show format Guess Who (Cultura Moderna), from Italy’s Mediaset. Distraction has licensed Guess Who to Romanian broadcaster Antenna 1, for premiere on September 1 in …

HOLLYWOOD, May 25: BET Networks, a division of Viacom, has partnered with Paramount Home Entertainment for the launch of a home entertainment division—BET Home Entertainment. Paramount Home Entertainment will distribute BET original television programming, made-for-DVD titles and acquired content on …

MONTREAL, May 25: Just For Laughs has reached a deal to launch a channel on the Internet TV platform Joost. The Just For Laughs channel on Joost will feature a variety of titles that include Just For Laughs Gags, a …

NEW YORK, May 25: Gameloft, a leading publisher and developer of video games for mobile phones, has announced that a game based on the hit ABC series Lost is now available for purchase at the iTunes Store for $4.99. In …