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NEW YORK: SPI International has acquired a number of first- and second-run movies from Freeman for broadcast on FilmBox channels in Hungary and Romania. Titles involved in the agreement include The Humbling, a dramedy led by Al Pacino; The Homesman, with Tommy Lee Jones and Hilary Swank; and the new …

STOCKHOLM: The Viaplay on-demand offering and IPTV growth helped to offset declines across the cable and satellite base at Modern Times Group (MTG) in the second quarter. Operating profit, before non-recurring items, fell to SEK 452 million ($52.9 million) from a year-ago SEK 473 million ($55.4 million). Sales of SEK …

LONDON: Endemol Shine UK has shaken up the management at Remarkable Television with the appointment of James Fox and Kitty Walshe as joint managing directors, effective immediately. In their new joint role, Fox and Walshe will exercise general responsibility over all of Remarkable Television’s programming. They will be charged with …

LONDON: Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has completed its acquisition of the Dutch movie service Film1, having received regulatory approval from the European Commission. SPT now has full ownership of five premium pay-TV channels under the Film1 umbrella—Film1 Premiere, Film1 Action, Film1 Comedy & Kids, Film1 Spotlight and Film1 Sundance—along with …

LONDON: Scorpion TV has secured international sales for a range of content across the globe, along with acquiring the film Zapped: The Buzz About Mosquitoes and adding to its sales team. CUNY in the U.S. has picked up 26 episodes of Attitude, which presents notable achievements of people with disabilities. TV3 in Spain signed on …

LONDON: Curated VOD service MUBI has teamed up with New Wave Films for the theatrical, home entertainment and VOD release of this year's Cannes Directors' Fortnight film Arabian Nights, directed by Miguel Gomes. Arabian Nights paints a picture of modern-day Portugal, presenting fictionalized versions of true stories from all over …

LONDON: The U.K.-based Starline Entertainment is expanding its team, adding new sales and marketing executives. Anna Brunelli joins the company in the newly created role of sales and acquisitions executive, where she will handle TV and digital sales for Southern Europe and Latin America. Brunelli previously worked in Rome as …

BRUSSELS: The European Commission has filed antitrust charges against Sky UK and six Hollywood studios regarding the restriction of access to content within the European Union. The studios named in the Statement of Objections sent by the European Commission are Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount Pictures, Sony, Twentieth Century Fox and Warner …

LONDON: Sky has picked up a majority stake in Blast! Films, the production company behind such series as The Supervet and The Route Masters. Blast! has produced such films as Hunger and series such as 999: What's Your Emergency? Blast! Films will continue to operate as a distinct company under …

LONDON: The Court of Appeal has dismissed Rovi's claims regarding patent cases brought against Virgin Media involving the ability to pause and resume on-demand and live TV programs on different devices. Rovi originally sued Virgin Media in High Court, but Judge John Baldwin QC found the claim to be invalid …