World Screen

PREMIUM: Jørgen Madsen Lindemann, the president and CEO of Modern Times Group, talks about how compelling storytelling is the fuel that drives his businesses. WS: MTG has recently acquired a 92.4-percent stake in DRG and a 51-percent stake in NovemberFilm. What motivated these acquisitions? MADSEN LINDEMANN: It is important for …

LONDON: A+E Networks UK, a joint venture between A+E Networks and BSkyB, has appointed Remi Abayomi as its senior director of broadcast operations. Abayomi will be charged with increasing the broadcasting operations infrastructure for the company’s networks in the U.K., Central Europe, Benelux, Scandinavia, the Middle East, Greece and Africa. …

LONDON: NBCUniversal (NBCU) International Television Distribution has named Rhys Beer as its VP of sports distribution and business development, a newly created position. In his new post, Beer is expected to handle growth opportunities and generate revenue through the sales of the company’s existing sports content. He will develop a …

This interview originally appeared in the MIPCOM 2013 issue of TV Europe. In 2012, ITV Studios’ Come Dine with Me accounted for more than 5,000 broadcast hours around the world, making it the year’s most-screened format. Since originating on Channel 4, the dinner-party format has been adapted in 30-plus markets, …

STOCKHOLM: A new report from Ericsson ConsumerLab finds that people are increasingly watching one piece of content across several locations and times, calling the latest trend “place-shifted viewing.” In its fourth annual survey looking at consumer viewing trends, Ericsson ConsumerLabs reports that 72 percent of respondents say they use mobile …

GÜTERSLOH: The German media giant Bertelsmann saw its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) from continuing operations in the first six months of the year rise 5.2 percent to 768 million euros ($1.02 billion). In the period from January to June, Bertelsmann’s net profit grew by 10.9 percent to 306 …

LONDON: The BBC’s director general, Lord Hall, is the most influential person in British TV, according to the MediaGuardian, ranking third overall on the newspaper’s power list, ahead of Rupert Murdoch and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos. Lord Hall, a new entry, was number one in the television sector, followed by Rupert …

LONDON: Channel 4 in the U.K. has lined up a second season of Child Genius, a competition series produced by Shed Media’s Wall to Wall. Child Genius watches as a group of 5- to 12-year-old children with extremely high IQs compete to become the U.K.’s Child Genius of the Year. …

LONDON: Crime & Investigation Network is making its debut in Romania today on UPC. CI will be airing such series as Gangs of Britain with Gary & Martin Kemp, The First 48, Fred Dinenage: Murder Casebook and Psychic Detectives. The launch of CI in Romania follows on the channel’s recent debut …

ISTANBUL: Turkey's Dogan TV Holding has made a non-binding offer to purchase a majority stake in Digiturk for $742 million. Dogan is bidding to acquire Cukurova Holdings, which would give it a 53-percent share in the Turkish pay-TV broadcaster. The U.S. private equity group Providence Equity Partners owns the other 47 percent. …