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STOCKHOLM: Modern Times Group (MTG) has reported revenues of SEK4.4 billion ($533 million) for its fourth quarter, compared to the year ago's SEK4.1 billion ($497 million). Full-year 2014 revenues were SEK15.8 billion ($1.9 billion) compared with SEK14.1 billion ($1.7 billion) a year prior. EBIT profit was up in the most …

LONDON: FOX International Channels (FIC) has confirmed that Jeff Ford, whose departure from TV3 was announced yesterday, is taking on the role of managing director of FIC UK this April. Ford will be responsible for the growth and development of the U.K. channel business, which encompasses pay-TV brands FOX, National …

LONDON: The ITV comedy Benidorm has been commissioned for an eighth season, which will film on location in Spain later this year. A Tiger Aspect production, Benidorm is currently in its seventh run on ITV. The show’s creator, Derren Litten, will pen all seven episodes of the new season. Litten, …

PARIS: Rodolphe Buet, the CEO of STUDIOCANAL Germany, has been appointed the president of international distribution and marketing for STUDIOCANAL, effective March 1. Buet will also oversee STUDIOCANAL’s operations in Germany, Australia, New Zealand and China. He will report to Olivier Courson, the chairman and CEO of STUDIOCANAL. The exec …

PARIS: Lagardère Entertainment’s distribution company LE Rights has acquired the European distributor The Box Distribution, which manages the French-language rights for such programs as Underbelly and The Sniffer. The Box Distribution is led by Frédérik Rangé, who remains managing director of the company while also becoming the head of acquisitions …

LONDON: British broadcaster UKTV has launched its TV Everywhere app UKTV Play for Android. The free on-demand service, which is already available for iOS, PC and YouView, gives viewers easy access to watch titles from non-PSB channel Dave, entertainment channel Really and the factual history network Yesterday. Some of the …

PARIS: CANAL+ and Eurosport have inked an agreement for the exclusive distribution of the Eurosport and Eurosport 2 channels for the Canalsat lineup in France. The agreement kicks off this spring. Both channels, offered in HD, are available to all Canalsat subscribers as part of the basic Panorama package. The …

LONDON: Sky and BT have been awarded rights for 168 Barclays Premier League matches from 2016-17 to 2018-19, splitting the games between seven packages. Sky secured a total of 126 matches, while BT secured a package with 42 matches. The overall value delivered for the seven packages, following an open …

STOCKHOLM/LONDON: Modern Times Group (MTG) is selling off its Hungarian free-TV operations, comprising the channels VIASAT3 and VIASAT6 and the catch-up service Viasat Play, to Sony Pictures Television (SPT) Networks. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval by the Hungarian competition authority, and is expected to close during the second …

PARIS: CANALPLAY has acquired the SVOD rights for a slew of classic HBO series, among them Band of Brothers and Sex & the City. The CANAL+ SVOD service previously licensed the cult series The Wire and seasons one and two of Strike Back from HBO. Now, Band of Brothers and …