World Screen

BEIJING: The Walt Disney Company in China, the Ministry of Culture’s China Animation Group and the Internet service provider Tencent have teamed up in an effort to advance the country’s animation industry by forming The National Animation Creative Research and Development Cooperation. The organization will work as an incubator, helping …

SYDNEY: The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has approved Foxtel’s proposed takeover of Austar United Communications, though several conditions have been imposed. The conditions include that Foxtel is prevented from buying exclusive Internet TV rights for a range of TV and movie content, including from Nickelodeon and National Geographic channels. …

SINGAPORE: MP & Silva has scored a six-year deal with The FA for the rights to the FA Cup, the FA Community Shield match and rights for England National Team matches until 2018 for all Asian territories outside of Thailand. The package offers up to 59 live matches per season, as well …

MUMBAI: Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific is shuttering its Hindi-language general-entertainment network Imagine TV, acquired from NDTV in 2009, as a result of poor ratings.   "Imagine TV has not performed and grown as per expectations," said Siddharth Jain, the managing director for South Asia at Turner International India, in …

SYDNEY: BBC Worldwide Australia has named Helen Pendlebury, who is relocating from ITV in the U.K., as its head of commercial, entertainment and children’s brands. Pendlebury will be responsible for the business development around brands such as Doctor Who and Dancing with the Stars as well as children’s properties, including Charlie …

TOKYO: Hulu has revealed a price cut of 33 percent for streaming customers in Japan in a bid to lure more subscribers. Hulu is lowering its subscription price from 1,480 yen ($18.20) to 980 yen ($12.10). It is offering current customers a reimbursement of 500 yen for recent charges. “We …

MANILA: A new agreement between Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific and SKYCable sees Discovery Kids launching in the Philippines, along with expanded distribution for the TLC lifestyle channel on the platform. TLC will reach a broader subscriber base as it moves to SKYCable’s Silver Pack. Discovery Kids launched on the platform with …

MUMBAI: Sameer Goswami is joining Viacom18 in the role of VP and head of business operations for North America. Goswami, who previously served as the CEO of Vision Asia for Australia and New Zealand, will be responsible for managing and expanding the company’s operations across North America. He will report …

SYDNEY: FOXTEL has lined up around 1,100 hours of live events and 3,200 hours of total coverage for the London Olympic Games across eight dedicated channels. LONDON 1 will feature swimming, diving, synchronized swimming and water polo, while LONDON 2 airs track cycling, BMX, mountain biking and road cycling. LONDON …

BEIJING: The Chinese Internet-TV outfit Youku has struck a deal with CBS Studios International for two seasons of Survivor and America’s Next Top Model. This makes Youku the first Chinese video site to license Survivor. New episodes for both series are posted every Thursday, synchronized with their U.S. counterparts. "We’re …