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CUPERTINO: Apple has withdrawn the option to rent TV shows from its iTunes digital store and its Apple TV set-top service, which had been offered to customers for $0.99 an episode. "iTunes customers have shown they overwhelmingly prefer buying TV …

LONDON, June 2: Disney Channel has commissioned Prism Entertainment to produce a new comedy sketch show, Life Bites, as part of its local-production initiative in the U.K. The 16×5-minute series features sketches that take on a variety of themes, including …

WASHINGTON, October 18: Kevin J. Martin, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), is said to be circulating a new plan to relax U.S. media ownership rules, including prohibitions on companies owning print and television outlets in the same …

BURBANK: Net income for The Walt Disney Company’s fiscal 2015 increased 12 percent to a record $8.4 billion, with revenues up 7 percent to a record $52.5 billion. “We had a strong quarter, with adjusted EPS up 35 percent, completing …

ATLANTA: Cartoon Network and Hot Topic are set to roll out a retail program for the original animated series Steven Universe and Adventure Time. The program will run through December and include a collection of licensed merchandise based on Steven …

LOS ANGELES: MarVista Entertainment has acquired the global distribution rights to a 66-title international library from Osiris Entertainment, which it is presenting at the American Film Market.  The deal includes existing catalogue titles and new productions. Among the titles covered …

NEW YORK: World Screen speaks to Breakthrough Entertainment's Ira Levy, partner and executive producer, and Nat Abraham, president of distribution, about the company, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. It was 1985 when Breakthrough Entertainment first entered the …

NEW YORK: Third-quarter net revenues for AMC Networks increased 21.7 percent to $632 million, with strong ad revenues from its national networks. The 31.3-percent growth at its national networks (AMC, WE tv, BBC America, IFC and SundanceTV) was partially offset …

NEW YORK: Through a new partnership with VICE Media, A+E Networks’ channel H2 will be transitioned to VICELAND (working title), with the new 24-hour network set to launch in early 2016. VICELAND will be distributed in approximately 70 million homes, …

LOS ANGELES: A new survey from NATPE on the future of the content industry reveals that more than half of members polled (54 percent) believe that the number of scripted shows will increase over the next two years. Around half …