World Screen

NEW YORK: Betsy Schechter, who has been working in the TV industry for nearly two decades, has set up a New York-based production company focused on TV, film, branded and multimedia outlets. Storyville Entertainment is already working on a music-based documentary series for MTV International. It is also in development …

NEW YORK: Carmi Zlotnik, the managing director of Starz, has been getting the message out to the international content community that the U.S. pay service can be the perfect home for smart, compelling programming.   There have been a number of major original programming initiatives at Starz, with the debuts …

LOS ANGELES: VH1 is moving forward on several new original series, including the scripted project Hindsight. Hindsight is set for early 2015. The series is written by Emily Fox (Jane By Design) and the pilot was directed by Michael Trim (Orange Is the New Black). Other projects getting the greenlight …

UNIVERSAL CITY: Universal Cable Productions (UCP) had added two new pod deals to its roster, inking exclusive development agreements with Steve Carell’s Carousel Television and Jessica Biel’s Iron Ocean Productions. Steve Carell’s Carousel Television and UCP are collaborating on a one-hour untitled project about the golden age of Hollywood in …

NEW YORK: Bravo Media has bumped up three development and production execs while expanding the roles of two others to gain oversight of Oxygen Media. Lara Spotts, who has previously developed series such as Newlyweds: The First Year and Thicker Than Water, is the new senior VP of development. She’ll …

WASHINGTON, D.C.: National Geographic Channels has promoted some key executives, upping two sales execs and one member of its research team. Kelly Jones, previously executive director for ad sales marketing, is now the VP of ad sales marketing. Jones will oversee all client partnerships on National Geographic Channel and Nat …

LOS ANGELES: FOX has picked up New Girl, The Mindy Project, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Following for the 2014-15 season. The renewal marks the third season for The Following, which stars Kevin Bacon, and the third for the Mindy Kaling comedy. The 2014-15 season will be the sophomore run for …

This interview originally appeared in the MIPTV 2014 issue of World Screen. Home Box Office has set the gold standard for premium pay-TV services with its mix of feature films, sports, documentaries and groundbreaking award-winning original productions. This for­mula has been successfully exported to Latin America, Central Europe and Asia. …

LONDON: Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution has upped one of its execs in a drive to expand the studio’s extensive SVOD business. Kristen Finney, formerly VP of worldwide pay television and SVOD, is now the senior VP of worldwide pay television and SVOD, effective immediately. The exec will remain responsible …

PHILADELPHIA: Comcast has struck a deal with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment that gives it the rights to sell the first season of House of Cards through the Xfinity Store. The agreement allows Comcast customers to purchase digital copies of such films as American Hustle and Captain Phillips through the Comcast …