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CANNES: Based on the best-selling Xbox franchise, Halo 4: Forward unto Dawn delivers a story of heroism and sacrifice. Content Television has the live-action drama available as a full-length movie or as a series. “Audiences of all ages and cultures will be able to relate to this dynamic, lushly produced …

CANNES: Scripted dramas and comedies are among the many key highlights for Shine International at MIPTV, according to Nadine Nohr, the company’s CEO. The ITV series Broadchurch co-stars David Tennant (Doctor Who) and comes from the screenwriter of Law & Order: UK and the producers of Spooks. It is a …

CANNES: Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy is the one-hour special The Day Kennedy Died, which Cineflix Rights is offering at MIPTV. It retraces JFK’s steps hour by hour in the lead-up to his death. “JFK’s assassination was one of the pivotal moments in recent …

LONDON: Power is in Cannes showcasing several Christmas-themed TV movies and mini-series that have already been picked up by broadcasters around the globe. Among the titles on offer are Christmas Pageant, featuring Melissa Gilbert of Little House on the Prairie; Old Fashioned Christmas, starring Nip/Tuck’s Jacqueline Bisset; and Meet the …

CANNES: RTL Television in Germany has extended its international distribution partnership with Telepool, which also has a new long-term output deal in place with the broadcaster. The arrangement includes the international rights for all RTL programs, excluding German-speaking territories. This includes Alarm for Cobra 11, Wham Bam Scam, Double Trouble …

NEW YORK/PARIS: A+E Networks and Canal+ have begun a long-term partnership in France that involves pay-TV channels, content, production and digital distribution. Both companies will debut several channels later in the year through the Planete+ factual group on the CanalSat platform with exclusive access to A+E Networks’ slate of hit …

CANNES: FilmBox Arthouse, dedicated to auteur and independent films, is to be launched this summer on several DTH platforms in Europe and the U.S. through SPI International. This will mark the sixth worldwide channel in the SPI International portfolio, coming alongside FightBox HD, FashionBox HD, Erox HD and Eroxxx HD. …

SILVER SPRING: Discovery Communications has officially taken over the SBS Nordic operations of ProSiebenSat.1 Group, resulting in the creation of a combined entity called SBS Discovery Media. The acquisition provides Discovery with 12 additional television networks, as well as several top radio stations and digital brands across Denmark, Norway, Sweden …

CANNES: A new report from the European Audiovisual Observatory has found that Europe’s top pay-TV platforms continue to see gains despite the region’s economic troubles, outpacing revenue growth at the leading ad-funded broadcasters. The report explores the financials of Europe’s top 20 commercial entities—11 pay-TV platforms and nine ad-supported broadcasters. …

CANNES: Construir TV has formed a partnership with ITV-Inter Medya for distribution in China, CIS, the MENA region and Balkan countries. The Turkish distributor will be representing Construir TV, a thematic channel dedicated to the world of work, in those regions. ITV-Inter Medya will exclusively present Construir TV’s new doc …