World Screen

NEW YORK: Almost half of smartphone and tablet owners are using their devices for second-screen activities while watching television, Nielsen reveals in its latest survey. The study of connected-device owners found that 46-percent of smartphone users and 43 percent of tablet users are engaging in daily second-screen activity with those devices. …

LOS ANGELES: MGM has signed BermanBraun to a multi-year production deal that will encompass scripted and unscripted programming across broadcast and cable television. BermanBraun was founded by former U.S. network heads Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun. Its credits include NBC’s upcoming Camp, HGTV’s Garage Sale Wars, Showtime’s Polyamory, and two additional …

NEW YORK: CBS Consumer Products has signed its first licensing deal for Elementary with Titan Publishing Group, which has agreed to release a series of original novels based on the successful drama in 2014. The books will be created in collaboration with the show’s production team. Set in modern-day New …

CUPERTINO: The authenticated streaming services HBO GO and WatchESPN are now available directly on Apple TV, which has also bolstered its offerings with the addition of Sky News, Crunchyroll and Qello. “HBO GO and WatchESPN are some of the most popular iOS apps and are sure to be huge hits …

LOS ANGELES: Screenz, which is jointly owned by Keshet Broadcasting and The Box, has a new CEO to lead its activities in the cross-media world, Yuval Nathan. Nathan is a board member at Keshet Media. He is currently the CEO and editor in chief of Keshet’s new-media arm, Mako. Screenz has …

LOS ANGELES: Shine America has hired Rob Hughes as VP of marketing and Kevin Ivey as executive director of research. Both men will be based in Los Angeles, where they will work under Vivi Zigler, the president of Shine 360˚ & Digital at Shine America. Hughes previously served as the executive …

SEATTLE: The market for connected TV apps and services is expected to be booming in the next five years, forecast to reach $14 billion in the U.S. by 2017, according to NextMarket Insights. The market brought in $4.5 billion in 2012, but is expected to increase threefold over the next five …

LOS ANGELES: Sean Combs’ upcoming cable network Revolt TV has secured carriage on the Time Warner Cable platform, building on existing distribution deals to make its launch one of the largest in cable TV history. Revolt TV is scheduled to launch this fall. The channel will focus on music programming, live content …

NORWALK: CABLEready has filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. The motion was filed in United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Gary Lico, CABLEready’s president and CEO, commented, “I am saddened. The Company explored every possible alternative to avoid …

LONDON: Greg Johnson, most recently the senior VP of sales and co-productions at BBC Worldwide Americas, is taking on the role of senior VP of sales for the Americas at ITV Studios Global Entertainment. Johnson will be based in Los Angeles, reporting to Tobias de Graaff, the company’s director of global …