Top Stories

LONDON/MELBOURNE, October 1: BBC Worldwide has acquired the travel information group Lonely Planet in a deal that aims to extend the franchise’s iconic travel guides across multiple media platforms. The privately owned business is being sold by Tony and Maureen …

BARCELONA, October 1: Alba Sani has been named head of sales for Neptuno Films’ international distribution division, with responsibility for the distribution of children’s animated programming. Sani joined Neptuno in 2005 as a sales executive, managing programming sales to Asia, …

HILVERSUM, October 1: Endemol International has inked a global distribution deal with Talpa Media, the format producer and distributor owned by John de Mol. The deal with de Mol—who owns a stake in Endemol via his investment fund Cyrte’s partnership …

LOS ANGELES, October 1: The on-demand fitness network ExerciseTV has entered into an alliance with Lionsgate to create and distribute workout programs that will be available to consumers through ExerciseTV's VOD service and online store and on DVD through retail …

BURBANK, October 1: As part of an effort to ramp up its production of reality programming, Disney’s Buena Vista Productions (BVP) has signed a first-look deal with Silverback, formerly known as Talpa Scandinavia. Effective immediately, the agreement with Silverback gives …

LONDON, October 1: Liberty Global’s Chellomedia has acquired three new channels for its Budapest-based, Central European operation, Chello Central Europe: TV Paprika, TV Deko and Filmmuzeum. TV Paprika, TV Deko and Filmmuzeum have been acquired from their respective local founders …

SINGAPORE, October 1: ESPN Star Sports will broadcast the 2007 Special Olympic World Summer Games in Shanghai, China, across the Asian region, beginning tomorrow. It will be the first time the summer games will be held in Asia, and only …

VANCOUVER, October 1: Canada’s Studio B Productions has announced a range of new international deals for its kids’ animated series Being Ian and Class of the Titans, covering more than a dozen territories. Studio B Productions has closed a deal …

TORONTO, October 1: TELETOON Retro, featuring classic cartoons targeted at adults aged 25 to 49, has launched into more than 2.7 million Canadian homes, making it the largest digital specialty channel in Canada. TELETOON Retro has rolled out on ExpressVu …

NEW YORK, October 1: Through an agreement with Blueprint Entertainment and Breakthrough Films & Television, Comedy Central has acquired ten new episodes of the reality comedy series Kenny vs. Spenny, premiering November 14. As part of the deal the network …