Top Stories

LONDON: BBC Three plans to debut all of its scripted comedy programming on BBC iPlayer starting at the end of next month. The launch will allow viewers to watch BBC Three scripted comedy series on the service a week before they air on television. It will start off with the …

HAMILTON: Net revenues for Central European Media Enterprises (CME) in the second quarter were $180.2 million, compared to the $211.2 million in the same period last year. The core earnings—operating income before depreciation and amortization (OIBDA)—were down from $47.1 million to $7 million in the same period. A net income …

LONDON: Universal Channel will unveil its new on-air look, refreshed logo and updated tagline in the U.K. and Ireland on August 5. The evolution of the brand is to signify the focus on character-driven entertainment. It features new positioning, a new logo and on-air packaging and will bear the tagline …

ISMANING: SPORT1 US, a new pay-TV channel dedicated to U.S. sports, is launching in Germany, Austria and Switzerland on August 1. The channel has secured carriage on the platforms of Kabel Deutschland, Sky Deutschland as well as Unitymedia and Kabel BW. SPORT1 secured a comprehensive rights package from ESPN Sports …

LONDON: Ofcom’s latest Communications Market Report finds that U.K. viewers are increasingly coming together to watch TV in the living room, with 91 percent of adults watching TV on the main set each week, up from 88 percent ten years ago. The report reveals, however, that there is more multi-tasking going on …

MUNICH: In the second quarter, ProSiebenSat.1 Group increased revenues by 11.4 percent to 624.8 million euros ($827 million), with strong results at its German networks and its production arm, Red Arrow. The group’s underlying earnings grew 4.5 percent to 104.3 million euros ($138 million). All three segments—digital, TV networks and production—contributed …

STOCKHOLM: Modern Times Group has signed an agreement to acquire 70 percent of the merged assets of Darik News and Net Info in Bulgaria from the commercial radio operator Darik Radio. MTG has the option to buy the remaining 30 percent of the company within a five-year period. The operations …

LONDON: Welsh-language programming from S4C is being added to the BBC iPlayer, with the full slate to be available by fall next year. The intention is for S4C to have presence as a full channel, available to watch live and on demand, by fall 2014. S4C will then be the …

AMSTERDAM: Liberty Global has made some organizational changes to its Central and Eastern European operations, including Betzalel Kenigsztein, currently the managing director of UPC Hungary, becoming the managing director for the CEE region. Kenigsztein will be reporting to Diederik Karsten, the executive VP of Liberty Global’s European broadband operations. In this …

LONDON: BBC Knowledge and BBC HD are to become available for the first time on Turkey’s Digiturk on August 13. The channels are being launched on the satellite cable platform in conjunction with carriage extensions of BBC Entertainment and BBC World News. August highlights from BBC Knowledge include Planet Dinosaur, Steve Jobs: …