World Screen

LONDON: Content Television has secured the distribution rights for Screenworks’ new crime thriller Amber, which will debut at MIPTV. The four-part, one-hour drama focuses on the disappearance of 14-year-old Amber Bailey and the ensuing two-year search for her. The series stars Eva Birthistle (Waking the Dead) and David Murray (Zonad) …

LONDON: Panini Media has been made the worldwide distributor—excluding Japan, Russia and New Zealand—for the animated Internet hit Simon’s Cat, picking up all TV rights from Simon’s Cat Studio. First appearing online in 2007, the animated series Simon’s Cat, created by Simon Tofield, has received 234 million views on YouTube …

LONDON: Power has secured the distribution rights for the new supernatural thriller 7 Below and the action film Blood Money from Vision Films for select territories. Power will highlight both films at MIPTV. Power now holds the distribution rights in CEE, Latin America and Africa for the two films, with …

MADRID: Viacom International Media Networks is launching the new Paramount Channel on DTT in Spain on March 30, featuring films from the studio’s library.  The first transmission will be The Godfather. The channel will continue to deliver Spanish audiences of all ages movies from the 100-year-old film library of Paramount …

MADRID: A number of the companies included under the Audiovisual from Spain banner have already confirmed sales for their properties ahead of the MIPTV market. 7yAcción is teaming up with Endemol to develop Plan B as a stand-alone show for the international market. Edebé officially launched Four and a Half …

STOCKHOLM: Viasat Broadcasting has upped Jakob Mejlhede to the role of senior VP of acquisitions and programming, responsible for free- and pay-TV channels across 35 countries. Mejlhede has been with the company for five years and takes on the new post with immediate effect. He is based in London and is …

LONDON: Laurens Drillich will be the new managing director at the Endemol Netherlands Media Group starting this summer. Drillich is currently the creative director at Endemol, and will take over the new position when Peter Adrichem steps down July 31, 2012. Drillich will oversee all of Endemol Netherlands Media Group’s …

PARIS: The French audiovisual regulator Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel (CSA) has selected the six new channels for its DTT platform, including TF1 Group’s HD1. The new channel will be “devoted to creativity and to all forms of French and foreign narrative drama,” according to a statement from TF1. It will …

LONDON: A selection of movies from the Disney portfolio, including Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, are being made available to rent and watch through Google Play and YouTube in the U.K. Users can go to Google Play to rent movies and watch on their Android …

PARIS: Among the star talent headed to Cannes are Julian Fellowes, Elle Macpherson and documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. Jean Reno and René Balcer will be on hand to promote the new series Le Grand, presented by Atlantique Productions in partnership with TF1 and distributor SevenOne International. Geraldine Somerville (Harry Potter, …