POTSDAM/LONDON: Nico Hofmann has been appointed co-CEO of UFA Group, which is the German production arm of FremantleMedia, sharing the post with Wolf Bauer. The appointment is part of a new two-year transition, which will see Hofmann take over sole CEO responsibilities in September 2017, allowing Bauer to focus on ...

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LONDON: BBC Worldwide has for the first time struck a deal with YouTube talent, teaming up with vloggers Joe Sugg and Caspar Lee for an exclusive commission. That project, titled Joe & Caspar Hit the Road, will be a one-off 75-minute-plus show set for purchase starting November 23 in the ...

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LONDON: BBC Two has unveiled a host of new commissions, including an adaptation of The City and the City. The City and the City is adapted by Tony Grisoni (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) from China Mielville’s fantasy thriller novel. It will be produced by Mammoth Screen. Set in ...

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UNTERFÖHRING: ProSieben MAXX has extended its agreement with A+E Networks to acquire additional programming, including new episodes of Duck Dynasty. In addition to new episodes of the reality series Duck Dynasty from seasons four and five, ProSieben MAXX picked up season one of The Legend of Shelby the Swamp Man. ProSieben ...

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LUXEMBOURG: Net profit attributable to RTL Group shareholders was up 73.8 percent to 351 million euros ($394 million), with digital showing dynamic growth. Reported Group revenue was up 3.8 percent to 2.8 billion euros ($3.1 billion) thanks to strongly increasing revenue at Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland, growing digital revenue and favorable ...

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GLASGOW: STV Productions and GroupM Entertainment have teamed up to establish a strategic development partnership that will see the two firms co-invest, co-develop and co-produce concepts across a range of genres. The focus of the agreement will be on the creation of new entertainment, factual and drama projects that will ...

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LONDON: BBC One has unveiled a range of new commissions, including an as-yet-untitled drama from Oscar-winner Steve McQueen and a musical series using Motown tunes. That 6×1-hour series will span three decades in the lives of members of a West Indian community in London, starting in 1968 at the moment ...

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LONDON: FremantleMedia has acquired a 62.5 percent holding in Wildside, which is currently producing The Young Pope, with the opportunity to purchase the remaining shareholding in the future. The Young Pope is a joint Sky, HBO and Canal+ production, directed by Paolo Sorrentino and starring Jude Law and Diane Keaton. ...

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EDINBURGH: British TV writing duo Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran are aligning with Corona TV’s Richard Johns and Rupert Jermyn in a new joint venture, LocomoTV, which has already tied up with FremantleMedia. The new company will create original scripted programming intended for mainstream audiences all over the world. LocomoTV ...

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LONDON: Channel 5 has acquired the original TV magic show Penn & Teller: Fool Us in Vegas. The 13×1-hour series is hosted by Jonathan Ross and filmed at the Penn & Teller Theatre at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas. Each episode features four magicians who test the magical insight ...

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