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LONDON: Playboy Plus Europe has inked a distribution agreement with Multimedia Polska to extend the carriage of three channels, as well as to launch a new pay-TV channel. The agreement allows for the continued carriage of Playboy TV, BRAZZERS TV Europe and The Adult Channel and the launch of RKTV (Reality …

NEW YORK: Hungarian TV channels Sport1 and Sport2 will become the exclusive home for the European Handball Federation (EHF) Champions League and other EHF European Cup events, thanks to a deal between EHF Marketing and AMC Networks International-Central Europe. Under the agreement, Sport1 and Sport2 will air all EHF games …

LONDON: Scripps Networks UK & EMEA has announced the transition to MPEG4 compression that will see the launch of Polsat Food Network HD and Travel Channel HD on Polish pay-TV provider Cyfrowy Polsat later this year. Polsat Food Network HD and Travel Channel HD in MPEG4 format will replace their …

LONDON: Independent production company Nevision has appointed Nigel Pickard to join its board and Sharon Bloom to develop the company’s drama slate. Pickard will join the Nevision Board and work with the founding team, which includes James Cabourne, the CEO, and industry executives Neil Zeiger, Keith Evans and Tim Buxton. …

ROME: The Italian production company Stand by Me has reinforced its key management with the appointment of three more executives under the entertainment and factual division. The newly formed team includes Giuliano Tranquilli as the head of content and business development, Davide Acampora as the head of the format department …

LONDON: UKTV’s channel Dave has ordered a third season of the award-winning dark comedy series Crackanory. The third season returns to Dave in partnership with Audible and is produced by Tiger Aspect Productions. The 6×40-minute series will contain two stories per episode, with each story featuring a combination of narration, …

LONDON: ITV has reported a 25-percent hike in adjusted pre-tax profit to £391 million ($609 million) in the six months to June 30, with ITV Studios delivering a solid first half. Group external revenue increased 11 percent to £1.36 billion ($2.12 billion), with 6-percent growth in broadcast and online revenue …

MADRID: Imagina International Sales has picked up the international distribution rights for Isla Bonita, the latest movie from Spanish filmmaker Fernando Colomo. Starring and directed by Colomo, Isla Bonita centers on a seasoned publicist who is going through a life crisis and decides to spend time on a beautiful island, …

PARIS: Banijay Group and Zodiak Media have agreed to combine the companies into a single outfit, led by Stéphane Courbit as chairman and Marco Bassetti as CEO. Courbit is the founder of Banijay and Bassetti is Banijay Group's CEO. They will both assume the new roles at the merged company …

LONDON: Sky has reported an 18-percent increase in annual operating profit to £1.4 billion ($2.2 billion), and added nearly 1 million customers during the 12 months that ended June 30. Group revenues for the year increased by 5 percent to £11.3 billion ($17.7 billion). Across the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Austria …