World Screen

NEW YORK: A bevy of comedic luminaries are on board to headline Spike TV's One Night Only: An All-Star Comedy Tribute to Don Rickles, among them David Letterman, Jerry Seinfeld and Tracy Morgan. The 90-minute special is being taped at the Apollo Theater in New York City on May 6. …

NEW YORK: A+E Networks is releasing HD programming from its A&E, HISTORY and Lifetime channels on the Apple TV digital media player. The free, ad-supported TV Everywhere content includes full episodes and exclusive clips from shows such as Bates Motel, Storage Wars, Project Runway, Devious Maids and Pawn Stars. A+E …

NEW YORK: NBC is planning a three-hour live special to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the iconic sketch show Saturday Night Live next year. The special tribute is slated for Sunday, February 15, 2015. It will feature past and present cast members, as well as special and musical guests from …

This interview originally appeared in the MIPTV 2014 issue of World Screen. Lionsgate has built a successful business by identifying underserved audience niches and reaching them in movie theaters, on television and on digital platforms. For horror fans there is the Saw franchise. Urban viewers have enjoyed a steady diet …

BURBANK: Former Sony Pictures Television international chief Michael Grindon has been tapped to lead the new worldwide distribution division at Legendary Television, reporting to Bruce Rosenblum. Under Rosenblum, the president of Legendary Television and Digital Media, Grindon is tasked with setting up a global TV distribution infrastructure for the company, …

PHILADELPHIA: NBCUniversal saw a 29-percent increase in revenue in the first quarter and a 38-percent gain in operating cash flow, thanks to the Sochi Olympics, which generated $1.1 billion in revenue. Revenue for NBCU in Q1 was $6.9 billion, compared to $5.3 billion in the first quarter of 2013. Excluding …

LOS GATOS: Netflix, which reported first-quarter earnings and revenue that were up from a year ago, is planning to increase prices for new subscribers by $1 to $2 per month, depending on the country. Netflix said that existing members would stay at current pricing "for a generous time period." It …

DALLAS/LOS ANGELES: The Chernin Group is partnering with AT&T to acquire, invest in and launch over-the-top video services, with more than $500 million committed in financing for the new joint venture. The venture is looking to invest in advertising- and subscription-supported SVOD services, as well as streaming platforms. Chernin is …

NEW YORK: Craig Zadan and Neil Meron have signed on to produce next year's Academy Awards, marking the third consecutive time the seasoned pair is producing the star-studded show. Noteworthy titles co-produced by Zadan and Meron include the feature films Chicago, Footloose, Hairspray and The Bucket List; the television special The …

LOS ANGELES: The recently premiered HBO comedy Silicon Valley has been renewed for a second season, while the network’s Julia Louis-Dreyfus vehicle Veep got the go-ahead for a fourth season. Silicon Valley, from Mike Judge and Alec Berg, began its eight-episode freshman run on April 6. The show is partially …