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EL SEGUNDO, December 8: Satellite platform DIRECTV has boosted its Spanish-language programming package with the addition of Centroamerica TV (CATV). The 24-hour channel features content from Canal 12 in El Salvador, Canal 11 in Honduras, Guatevision in Guatemala and Teletica …

BRISTOL, December 8: Aardman is partnering with Egmont Publishing to release a range of books based on Shaun the Sheep and Wallace and Gromit. Egmont has acquired the publishing rights to the two properties for the U.K., Eire and the …

VANCOUVER, December 8: Studio B Productions is working on a new animated short, Clancy with the Puck, which will be accompanied by an illustrated children’s book from Raincoast Books that is set for a North American rollout next fall. Created …

NEW YORK, December 8: VOOM HD Networks has reached a deal with British producer/distributor Electric Sky for two high-definition factual series that will launch in the second quarter of next year. Ultimate Tourist Scams is a co-production for the Equator …

PARIS, December 7: Taffy Entertainment has notched up a raft of new international deals on Fantastic Four, following its M6 launch. The series, based on the Marvel superhero franchise, has been licensed to YTV and VRAK TV in Canada, Cartoon …

LONDON, December 7: The independent producers trade body Pact, is merging with the Welsh organization TAC (Teledwyr Annibynnol Cymru/Welsh Independent Producers). “This is very good news for the future development of a vibrant independent sector in Wales,” said Dafydd Rhys, …

LONDON, December 7: FremantleMedia’s clip sales division, Fremantle Archive Sales, has acquired the worldwide representation rights to several Asian HD documentary titles from Singapore’s Caldecott Productions International (CPI). “HD programming is a defining market trend and we are delighted to …

LONDON, December 7: Channel 4 International has closed deals on two new documentaries from Pioneer Productions: Life Before Birth and In the Womb Animals. Life Before Birth, also known as In the Womb, which follows the development of a single …

MUNICH, December 7: Turkish media group Dogan Yayin, and two consortiums, one consisting of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Permira, and the other of Apax and Goldman Sachs, are the remaining suitors in the running to acquire ProSiebenSat.1 Media, …

LONDON, December 7: Tinopolis is restructuring Mentorn, moving the production subsidiary’s drama output to a new venture, Daybreak Pictures, that will be run by Mentorn’s head of drama, David Aukin, and executive producer, Hal Vogel. Aukin will be managing director …