Top Stories

NEW YORK/LONDON: Playground Entertainment has hired Channel 4's Sophie Gardiner as the creative director of Playground Television, its newly formed U.K. division. Gardiner will work out of the company's London offices, which are due to open early next year. She will report to Louise Pederson, the newly appointed managing director …

LONDON: ITV reported an 8 percent increase in overall revenues to £1.8 billion ($2.84 billion) and a 7 percent gain in broadcast and online revenues. Revenue from Broadcast & Online reached £1.4 million ($2.2 million). Advertising revenues were up 6 percent for the first nine months. Online, Pay & Interactive …

MADRID/STAMFORD: WWE and Spain’s Atresmedia have renewed their TV distribution agreement and promotional partnership through 2016. The two entities first partnered in 2013. Since then, the ratings for WWE’s flagship programs Monday Night Raw and SmackDown have more than doubled, leading to the two-year agreement extension for Atresmedia’s channel Neox. …

LONDON: UKTV has added five scripted comedies to its slate of new shows coming to Gold in 2015. The comedy commissions follow on news that UKTV has increased its programming budget to £125 million. A handful of shows are already in development. UKTV is also on the lookout for a …

LONDON: Following the launch of a £20 million ($31 million) Growth Fund at the beginning of this year, Channel 4 has made its fifth investment in an independent production company, taking a minority stake in Eleven Film. Launched in 2006 by Jamie Campbell and Joel Wilson, the multi-genre outfit has …

STOCKHOLM: FOX International Channels (FIC) in Sweden has inked a deal with CBS Studios International covering the rights to a range of titles, including Madam Secretary and Scorpion. The multiyear deal grants FOX the exclusive Swedish broadcast rights to Madam Secretary, beginning December 1, and Scorpion, which will roll out …

PARIS: TF1 and YouTube have announced a settlement of their year-long legal dispute over the French broadcaster's content being illegally posted to the video-sharing site. As part of the settlement, YouTube "has reaffirmed its commitment to providing its content protection system (Content ID) and to giving right holders full control …

WARSAW/NEW YORK: The FilmBox Premium channel in the Czech Republic and Slovakia—rebranding from FilmBox Extra this December—has licensed a host of theatrical features from NBCUniversal. The deal between FilmBox Premium's parent company, SPI International, and NBCUniversal covers more than 20 theatrical releases from 2012, among them Les Miserables, Big Miracle …

LONDON: British media regulator Ofcom has begun an investigation into how television rights deals for live Premier League matches are sold in the U.K. The investigation follows a complaint being lodged by cable platform Virgin Media in September. According to the Competition Act, Ofcom says it can open an inquiry …

MUNICH: Henrik Pabst, formerly co-managing director of Red Arrow International, will take on sole responsibility for all aspects of the business following the upcoming departure of Irina Ignatiew-Lemke. Pabst will serve as sole managing director of the company, effective immediately. Under his leadership, Red Arrow International will continue to expand …