Top Stories

TORONTO: 9 Story Media Group has hired Blake Tohana, a former Tricon Films & Television executive, as the company's chief financial officer, while Brown Bag Films CEO Cathal Gaffney becomes 9 Story's COO.

NEW YORK/KABUL: Sesame Workshop is introducing Zari, the first Afghan Muppet, in the fifth season of Baghch-e-Simsim, the local co-production of Sesame Street.

CANNES: Studio 100 Media has sold more than 100 half-hours of programming to Lithuanian pubcaster LRT.

TORONTO: Joe Tedesco, senior VP and general manager of DHX Television, tells World Screen Newsflash about how he is programming the company’s Canadian networks.

LONDON: Global broadcaster Jim Jam and Finland’s YLE have nabbed the new preschool series Kit & Kate, which is distributed by Ankama Animations.

NEW YORK/LONDON: The preschool adventure series Octonauts is heading to Netflix in multiple territories following a three-year deal between the streaming service and Silvergate Media.

NEW YORK: Sesame Workshop has closed deals to air a broad lineup of Sesame Street programming this year in Southeast Asia and Taiwan.

LONDON: CBBC has given a second-season order to its upcoming soccer-themed kids’ drama Jamie Johnson, with the first run due out in time for the Euro 2016 Championships this summer.

NEW YORK: Layla Lewis, VP of content acquisitions at Nickelodeon, shares with World Screen Newsflash her strategy for sourcing shows from the international market.

In a keynote speech at MIPTV, which was followed by a Q&A with World Screen’s Anna Carugati, the president and COO discussed creating engaging content and success strategies.