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LUXEMBOURG: RTL Group is benefiting from an ad-market recovery in most of the European markets it is active in, co-CEOs Anke Schäferkordt and Guillaume de Posch stated in announcing the company's Q1 results, hailing "a good start into the year" as revenues were stable at 1.3 billion euros ($1.8 billion). …

LONDON: Gary Woolf, previously the senior VP of digital and business development at all3media international, has joined Zodiak Rights in the newly created role of head of digital, business development and insight. Woolf's responsibilities include formulating Zodiak Rights' future digital growth strategy and working closely with the sales teams to …

MADRID: PRISA says it has accepted Telefónica's offer to acquire its 56-percent interest in DTS Distribuidora de Televisión Digital, the holding company of Spain's Canal+ pay-TV platform. Earlier this week, the telecoms giant offered 725 million euros ($1 billion) for the stake, which will bring its ownership of the platform …

LONDON: Discovery Communications and Liberty Global have confirmed plans for the formation of a fifty-fifty joint venture to acquire all3media. The company will continue to operate under its own name with its own executive management team and its existing creative operating model as a stand-alone, independently managed entity. Discovery and …

BRUSSELS: The European Commission has opened an "in-depth investigation" regarding Liberty Global's proposed takeover of the Dutch cable operator Ziggo, looking into whether or not the deal is in line with the EU Merger Regulation. The merger would bring together the country's only two suppliers of premium pay-TV movie channels. …

NEW YORK/LONDON: SPI International has licensed a number of titles from Endemol for broadcast on the FilmBox channels in Central and Eastern Europe. The agreement includes A Place to Call Home, a romantic drama series produced by Seven Networks Australia, and Peaky Blinders, a period drama from Tiger Aspect Productions and Caryn Mandabach Productions. There is also …

LOS ANGELES: The upcoming FOX drama Gracepoint, which tops Shine International’s L.A. Screenings highlights, features an all-star cast led by David Tennant (Broadchurch) and Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad). Another drama in the Shine International catalogue is The Third Eye, which comes from the makers of Lilyhammer. The Nordic crime series …

LONDON: Sky and Virgin Media have agreed to a new five-year carriage deal, which includes the addition of more HD channels than were previously part of their pact. Virgin Media will continue to offer its customers a selection of Sky's leading entertainment channels as well as content from Sky Movies …

LONDON: Sky Vision has appointed Barnaby Shingleton, previously the head of entertainment at Zodiak Rights, to serve as its director of factual and entertainment. Shingleton reports directly to Jane Millichip, the company's managing director. He is tasked with driving the entertainment and factual strategy for Sky Vision, and will oversee …

LONDON: DRG has landed a first-look deal with NRK that sees it become the exclusive representative for the Norwegian broadcaster's entire scripted catalogue, including finished programs and formats. DRG has an existing agreement with the Norwegian broadcaster for the exclusive rights for its non-scripted formats. As part of the deal, …