Top Stories

TEL AVIV, December 10: Nir Erlich and Sefi Vigiser, the cofounders of the instant messaging platform ICQ, have announced the launch for alpha testers of Knocka TV, an Internet television network for both user-generated and professional content. Knocka (www.knocka.tv) is …

SAN DIEGO, December 10: Lifestyle and entertainment network WealthTV has reached an agreement with Verizon FiOS TV to make its high-definition programming available on-demand in several new markets. WealthTV will begin its HD VOD rollout in the metro areas of …

LOS ANGELES, December 10: Lifetime Networks has named Stephen Bulka as its VP of original movies, effective immediately. Bulka will report to Tanya Lopez, Lifetime Networks’ senior VP of original movies. Based in Los Angeles, Bulka will be responsible for …

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 …

GUTERSLOH, December 10: According to a report in today’s Financial Times, Bertelsmann is looking at selling off part of its Direct Group division, which includes its book and music club businesses. Direct Group Bertelsmann comprises the worldwide book and music …

LOS ANGELES, December 10: Negotiations between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) broke down on Friday, as the strike enters its fifth week. The AMPTP said that it was “puzzled …

NEW YORK, December 10: Roger M. King, the CEO of King World and CBS Television Distribution, passed away this weekend after suffering a stroke on Friday. He was 63. King was the chief executive of CBS Television Distribution at the …

LUXEMBOURG, December 10: Gunter Thielen, the outgoing chairman and CEO of Bertelsmann, and Ewald Walgenbach will step down from the Board of Directors of the RTL Group, effective December 31. Thielen has been a member of the RTL Group Board …

BOSTON, December 10: PBS’s British drama strand Masterpiece Theatre will introduce a new look, new scheduling, and the first of three new hosts, beginning in January 2008. Gillian Anderson, an Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated actress who starred as Lady Dedlock …