World Screen

KNOXVILLE: Scripps Networks Interactive has officially closed its agreement to acquire a 52.7 percent interest in Poland’s TVN from ITI and CANAL+ Group. It closed an all-cash deal for 584 million euros ($617 million). Scripps Networks Interactive will also assume 856 million euros ($888 million) of debt. Under Polish law, …

NEW YORK: SPI International and Vodafone Portugal have unveiled the launch of the FunBox 4K UHD channel on TV Net Voz, a leading Portuguese IPTV platform. Vodaphone Portugal has already begun offering some FunBox 4K content to its subscribers. Additional programming will become available in the coming months and will …

AMSTERDAM/LONDON: Endemol Shine Group has tapped Marina Williams, formerly CEO of Central and Eastern Europe and MENA regions, to serve as COO of international operations. The new post sees Williams with oversight for Endemol Shine Group’s operations across Central and Eastern Europe, India, the Middle East and Africa. She will …

PARIS: CANAL+ Group has elevated Maxime Saada, currently executive VP and head of pay TV, to the role of CEO, replacing Rodolphe Belmer. Belmer has officially been "relieved of his responsibilities," according to the company's supervisory board. Saada has held the executive VP and head of pay TV post at …

MOSCOW: Modern Times Group (MTG) has received an offer from UTH Russia for the purchase of a 75 percent stake in CTC Media. The acquisition bid comes in response to the amendment to the Russian law “On Mass Media,” which will impose further restrictions on non-Russian ownership of Russian TV …

DUBLIN: Liberty Global's UPC Ireland has entered into an agreement with Doughty Hanson to acquire the commercial broadcaster TV3. The purchase price is 80 million euros ($87 million), with an additional contingent consideration of up to 7 million euros ($7.8 million) payable based on TV3 reaching certain targets. Once the …

LONDON: The BBC has been ordered to take on the cost of providing free television licenses for those over the age of 75, a process that will be phased in from 2018-19 and fully implemented by 2020-21. U.K. Culture Secretary John Whittingdale announced the ruling earlier today that the BBC …

BERLIN: The German media giants ProSiebenSat.1 and Axel Springer are said to be in talks regarding a potential merger, valued at 14.4 billion euros ($15.9 billion). ProSiebenSat.1 Media is Germany’s biggest commercial broadcaster, and Axel Springer is the country’s largest newspaper publisher. Together, the two companies delivered 2014 revenue of …

LONDON: A second season of the hit comedy series Yonderland is set to premiere on Sky 1 HD later this summer. Produced by Working Title Television, Yonderland first debuted on Sky 1 HD in November 2013. The new season is scheduled to begin airing on the channel on Monday, July …

LONDON: GroupM forecasts that advertising spending in the U.K. will increase by 6.3 percent this year to reach £15.9 billion ($24.8 billion). The figures were released as part of the This Year, Next Year: U.K. Media and Marketing Forecasts report from GroupM. Ad spend in 2016 is expected to rise …