World Screen

BRUSSELS: The European Commission has filed antitrust charges against Sky UK and six Hollywood studios regarding the restriction of access to content within the European Union. The studios named in the Statement of Objections sent by the European Commission are Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount Pictures, Sony, Twentieth Century Fox and Warner …

LONDON: Sky has picked up a majority stake in Blast! Films, the production company behind such series as The Supervet and The Route Masters. Blast! has produced such films as Hunger and series such as 999: What's Your Emergency? Blast! Films will continue to operate as a distinct company under …

LONDON: The Court of Appeal has dismissed Rovi's claims regarding patent cases brought against Virgin Media involving the ability to pause and resume on-demand and live TV programs on different devices. Rovi originally sued Virgin Media in High Court, but Judge John Baldwin QC found the claim to be invalid …

LONDON: Playboy Plus Europe has inked a distribution agreement with Multimedia Polska to extend the carriage of three channels, as well as to launch a new pay-TV channel. The agreement allows for the continued carriage of Playboy TV, BRAZZERS TV Europe and The Adult Channel and the launch of RKTV (Reality …

NEW YORK: Hungarian TV channels Sport1 and Sport2 will become the exclusive home for the European Handball Federation (EHF) Champions League and other EHF European Cup events, thanks to a deal between EHF Marketing and AMC Networks International-Central Europe. Under the agreement, Sport1 and Sport2 will air all EHF games …

LONDON: Scripps Networks UK & EMEA has announced the transition to MPEG4 compression that will see the launch of Polsat Food Network HD and Travel Channel HD on Polish pay-TV provider Cyfrowy Polsat later this year. Polsat Food Network HD and Travel Channel HD in MPEG4 format will replace their …

LONDON: Independent production company Nevision has appointed Nigel Pickard to join its board and Sharon Bloom to develop the company’s drama slate. Pickard will join the Nevision Board and work with the founding team, which includes James Cabourne, the CEO, and industry executives Neil Zeiger, Keith Evans and Tim Buxton. …

ROME: The Italian production company Stand by Me has reinforced its key management with the appointment of three more executives under the entertainment and factual division. The newly formed team includes Giuliano Tranquilli as the head of content and business development, Davide Acampora as the head of the format department …

LONDON: UKTV’s channel Dave has ordered a third season of the award-winning dark comedy series Crackanory. The third season returns to Dave in partnership with Audible and is produced by Tiger Aspect Productions. The 6×40-minute series will contain two stories per episode, with each story featuring a combination of narration, …

LONDON: ITV has reported a 25-percent hike in adjusted pre-tax profit to £391 million ($609 million) in the six months to June 30, with ITV Studios delivering a solid first half. Group external revenue increased 11 percent to £1.36 billion ($2.12 billion), with 6-percent growth in broadcast and online revenue …