Top Stories

ENGLEWOOD, July 18: The share price of satellite-TV operator EchoStar Communications rose to a 17-month high yesterday following speculation that DIRECTV majority shareholder News Corporation is mulling a bid for the company. A merger of DIRECTV and EchoStar’s DISH Network …

LOS ANGELES, July 18: A senior management restructure has been announced at Universal Pictures under recently installed chairman Marc Shmuger and co-chairman David Linde, with promotions for Rick Finkelstein, Jimmy Horowitz and Michael Joe. Rick Finkelstein has been promoted to …

PARIS/LONDON, July 18: Dutch cable platform Casema is to be acquired by private equity firms Cinven and Warburg Pincus for 2.1 billion euros in a deal with the Carlyle Group, Providence Equity Partners and GMT Communications Partners. Casema provides cable, …

BURBANK, July 18: The merged UPN/WB network The CW launches on September 20 with a two-hour premiere of the seventh season of Tyra Banks’ reality show America’s Next Top Model. World Wrestling Entertainment’s Friday Night Smackdown makes its CW debut …

LONDON, July 18: Over the next three years, BSkyB is going to invest £400 million into its new broadband offering unveiled today, with the platform’s 8 million subscribers set to receive the base high-speed Internet package for free. Unveiling Sky …

BURBANK, July 18: CBS is gearing up for its 2006/07 season with its new “Outernet” strategy aimed at finding off-screen means to promote its new slate of shows. In unveiling the initiative, CBS said that it was planning on rolling …

BUDAPEST, July 18: Sony Pictures Television International’s AXN channel has hit the 5-million-household milestone in Central Europe, where it is available in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Moldova and Bulgaria. In announcing the channel’s gains, Stephen White, the …

TORONTO, July 18: Corus Entertainment’s 2006/07 kids’ programming slate includes a rebranded Saturday-morning lineup at YTV, the company announced today. YTV, sister network Treehouse and Discovery Kids Canada will be rolling out 20 new series in the 06/07 season, together …

LOS ANGELES, July 18: E! International Network has expanded its reach on the African continent with new carriage deals in place with MultiChoice Africa and Multi TV Afrique. "The response to the E! International Network in Africa has been extremely …

SILVER SPRING, July 18: Discovery Travel & Living will be inviting its viewers to “Eat.Drink.Travel.Live.” with a new programming initiative rolling out this September in Asia, Latin America, Europe and the U.S. “Eat.Drink.Travel.Live”, showcasing cuisine, unique destinations, luxury hotels and …