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AMSTERDAM: T-Mobile Netherlands has unveiled Knippr, an OTT service that allows Dutch consumers to customize their own bouquet of channels. Knippr is billed as a "skinny bundle" and will offer a basic plan of live channels. Customers can then add more channels as they choose. The service will work with …

LONDON: William Miller, formerly the head of talent at BBC Worldwide, and Ruth Wrigley, who previously served as all3media's head of entertainment and formats, have launched a new independent production outfit, Raconteur Associates. Raconteur Associates will focus on developing non-scripted programming and formats. Its aim will be on developing and …

WARSAW/VIENNA: Austria’s A1 TV has added two thematic channels from SPI International/FilmBox’s pay-TV portfolio to its offering. DocuBox HD and Fast&FunBox HD are now part of A1 TV’s English-language Premium TV package. DocuBox HD showcases a collection of award-winning documentary features that explore the mysteries of Earth. Meanwhile, car racing, …

MUNICH/BERLIN/LOS ANGELES: Philipp Kreuzer and Jörg Schulze have launched a new independent film and TV label, Maze Pictures, which will develop, finance, produce and co-produce a range of original content for the German and international markets. Maze Pictures is teaming up with Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp Television on The Crimson Rivers, …

STOCKHOLM: Johanna Bergenstråhle has been hired by TV4 Group as executive producer of drama and comedy, effective January 11. Bergenstråhle joins TV4 Group from Jarowskij, where she produced the Swedish-American comedy Welcome to Sweden. She has also produced a number of movies and series, including the feature-film trilogy JerryMaya's Detective Agency for …

LONDON: Digital UK, which manages the logical channel number (LCN) listings for DTT/Freeview, has launched a consultation about what to do with BBC Three's channel position once the service moves online. With the BBC Trust's decision to transition BBC Three to an online-only service, the SD and HD linear services …

PARIS: The French media regulator Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA) has authorized the migration of LCI to free-to-air DTT, subject to "commitments." The French news channel has been operating since 1994. The CSA has now cleared the way for the service to become available on freeview DTT. Around 20 million …

LONDON: The BBC has reached an agreement with the British trade association Pact regarding the BBC Studios proposal, setting out a framework that will "strengthen the U.K. production sector and bring substantial benefits in terms of opening up new commissioning opportunities to competition." The new charter and agreement pertain to …

LONDON: Channel 4 will become the new terrestrial home of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship from 2016-18, as the BBC has ended its contract early due to cost-cutting measures. As part of a new deal agreed to with Formula 1 World Championship Limited, Channel 4 will air ten live …

LONDON: BBC Three has ordered the original comedy Sunny D to series following its pilot debut as part of this year’s BBC Three Comedy Feeds. The sitcom stars comedian Dane Baptiste as a man trapped in a mundane 9-to-5 job who is still living at home with his moody twin …