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SYDNEY, April 24: The Australian Children's Television Foundation (ACTF) wrapped up MIPTV with U.S. and European sales confirmed at the market for Lockie Leonard and the award-winning Mortified. Lockie Leonard, produced by Essential Viewing, has been sold to VOOM HD …

LOS ANGELES, April 24: Toei Animation has licensed the fifth season of Digimon to Disney ABC Cable Networks for launch on Toon Disney’s Jetix block, and has inked a DVD deal with FUNimation Entertainment on One Piece. Season five of …

BURBANK/LONDON, April 24: Steve Aranguren has been named as VP of global original programming at Disney Channel Worldwide, reporting to Gary Marsh, the president of entertainment at Disney Channel Worldwide, and John Hardie, the executive VP and managing director of …

LOS ANGELES, April 24: Ken DuBow, previously with First Look Studios, has been appointed president of worldwide distribution at PorchLight Entertainment. DuBow debuted in his new position at MIPTV last week, handling the international distribution of new properties such as …

CULVER CITY, April 24: Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) has promoted Marie Jacobson to executive VP of programming and production for its international networks. Based in Culver City, Jacobson—who was promoted from her position as the senior VP of programming …

BURBANK, April 24: DIC Entertainment has appointed Gray Davis, former Governor of California, as a non-executive director on its Board of Directors. The announcement was made by Andy Heyward, the chairman and CEO of DIC. Governor Davis joins other veteran …

HOLLYWOOD, April 23: More than 1 million Blu-ray discs have been sold in less than a year, according to figures from Home Media Research, with the format accounting for 70 percent of high-definition movies sold in the first quarter of …

TORONTO, April 23: The Canadian Competition Bureau has given its clearance to the $2.05 billion sale of Alliance Atlantis Communications to CanWest Global Communications and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners. Alliance Atlantis shareholders cleared the C$53/share agreement earlier this month. A …

MADRID, April 23: The Spanish investment fund Grupo Torreal has acquired a 20-percent stake in Imagina, which owns a majority interest in the La Sexta network. Imagina is the product of the merger of Grupo Arbol and Mediapro. In addition …

LONDON, April 23: BBC One’s Panorama current-affairs show today alleged that callers to premium-rate phone competitions on the GMTV morning show have been defrauded out of millions of pounds over the last four years. Calling the incident “TV’s dirtiest little …