Top Stories

LOS ANGELES, February 13: The online DVD rental company Netflix, through its Red Envelope Entertainment division, has picked up the worldwide rights to produce and distribute a new documentary on the life and career of legendary artist Tony Bennett that …

LONDON, February 13: HBO is launching a branded subscription video on demand service in the U.K. on BT Vision, Tiscali TV and Virgin Media, marking its first entry into the British market. “HBO’s programming has always done very well in …

UNIVERSAL CITY, February 13: NBC Universal International Television Distribution has reached a deal for a Mandarin-language version of its entertainment magazine Access Hollywood to air in China. The deal follows the launch by Channel 6 in Ireland of its own …

CULVER CITY, February 13: Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) has secured the international television, Internet, digital sell-through, gaming and mobile rights to the futuristic 2.5-D animated property Afterworld. As part of the agreement, SPTI will represent 130 two-minute episodes for …

PALISADES PARK, February 13: In a joint venture agreement, Alfred Haber Distribution (AHDI), Keller Productions and Triage Entertainment have secured the international format rights to the hit Japanese series Iron Chef from Japan’s Fuji Television. AHDI also acquired the international …

LOS ANGELES, February 13: PBS and Boettcher Trinklein Productions have begun production on Pioneers of Television, a 4×1-hour documentary series on some of the television medium’s legendary entertainers, for debut in winter/spring 2008. Pioneers of Television will revolve around the …

BURBANK, February 13: The actor Jimmy Smits, whose credits include NYPD Blue and The West Wing, has announced three television projects from his outfit, El Sendero Productions, in association with ABC Television Studio (formerly Touchstone Television). First on the slate …

PARIS, February 13: The news agency Agence France-Presse is looking to expand the global reach of AFPTV, its English and French-language video service covering current events. The service offers reports on current events and related issues, features, raw footage and …

SANTA MONICA, February 13: MGA Entertainment’s bestselling line of sweet-scented dolls, Yummi-Land, is getting an animated treatment for a direct-to-DVD release, with North American home entertainment distribution to be handled by Lionsgate. The new deal builds on the existing relationship …

LOS ANGELES, February 13: Veoh Networks, backed by former Disney chief Michael Eisner’s Tornante Company and Time Warner, among other investors, officially launched its online video platform today. "Veoh's mission is to bring the next generation of television to people …