World Screen

This article originally appeared in the L.A. Screenings 2014 issue of World Screen. Anna Carugati talks to a host of buyers about shorter-run series, windows and navigating the ever-more-complex business of rights management. The first paragraph of Charles Dickens’ classic novel A Tale of Two Cities starts with the famous …

NEW YORK: Viacom has picked up a minority stake in the online video network Defy Media, in exchange for three of its gaming properties. The deal sees Defy taking over Addicting Games, GameTrailers and Shockwave, extending its portfolio of digital properties and strengthening its reach with the 13-to-34 demo. The …

NEW YORK: Comedy Central has given series orders to Another Period and Idiotsitter, along with renewing Inside Amy Schumer, Review and TripTank. Another Period is set at the turn of the century. It follows the misadventures of a family from Newport, Rhode Island, who have nothing to offer the world …

LOS ANGELES: Indie outfit RLJ Entertainment has named Mike Pears as its executive VP of content sales for the U.S., a newly created position. Pears will be based out of the company's West Coast office in California. He’ll head up sales for RLJE’s non-physical wholesale business, including digital, VOD and …

LOS ANGELES: Gerard Bocaccio has been hired by Entertainment One (eOne) Television as its new senior VP of U.S. scripted development. Bocaccio, based in Los Angeles, will report to Michael Rosenberg, the company's executive VP of U.S. scripted television. Bocaccio is responsible for further cultivating and developing eOne's slate of …

NEW YORK: NBC’s reality series The Biggest Loser has teamed up with several licensees to release a slew of healthy-living products during the first half of this year. The latest licensing deals include agreements with Kind Kitchen for cooking utensils such as non-stick pans, woks, aprons, baking mats, pie plates …

ATLANTA: The new demo-specific over-the-air U.S. broadcast networks Escape and Grit have acquired the TV rights to a package of 135 motion pictures in a deal with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution (WBDTD). The female-skewed Escape channel is anchored in stories of crime and mystery. Warner Bros. movies set for …

NEW YORK: Jacki Kelley has been appointed COO of Bloomberg Media, a post she takes up on September 1. Kelley will be responsible for leading the business operations of Bloomberg's worldwide multiplatform media operation. She will work across the Media Group and focus on driving global revenue growth, brand strength …

LOS ANGELES: Rive Gauche Television has elevated international sales executives Marine Ksadzhikyan and Bryan Gabourie, both of whom have been with the company for a half decade. Ksadzhikyan has become the senior VP of international distribution, which includes coverage of France, Italy, Benelux, Scandinavia and Africa. Gabourie was promoted to …

NEW YORK: Even though digital video advertising in the U.S. is increasing rapidly, TV ad spending will still grow more than digital video in dollar growth in 2014, according to eMarketer. TV advertising in the U.S. is forecast to reach $68.54 billion, up by 3.3 percent. Digital video ad spending, …