Joel Marino

LONDON: Independent production company Blink Films is setting up a U.S. office, with newly appointed senior VP of development Brad Kohlenstein heading its East Coast operations.

LOS ANGELES: Bento Box Entertainment, which has produced hits such as FOX’s Bob’s Burgers, is set to develop a prime-time animated version of The Blues Brothers.

NEW YORK: As part of a new agreement, VICE Sports will produce new original series to air exclusively on ESPN platforms while select films from ESPN’s documentary series 30 for 30 will air on the new VICELAND network.

AUSTIN: Former Machinima executive Daniel Tibbets has joined El Rey Network as its president and general manager.

LOS ANGELES: Veteran TV executive and producer Jessica Sebastian has been tapped to join ITV Entertainment, part of ITV America, as senior VP of development.

GENEVA: Viacom network Logo has signed a deal with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to air the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final, marking the first time the international competition is broadcast live in the U.S.

Popular and critically acclaimed films and TV shows have become more digitally accessible in the U.S. than in previous years, according to a new SNL Kagan report. The new study, titled U.S. Availability of Film and TV Titles in the Digital Age, found that 98 percent of premium films and 94 percent of premium TV series were digitally available on at least one of the 33 online VOD distributors and 14 TV Everywhere on-demand services reviewed.

NEW YORK: A&E is developing a new sketch-comedy, music and showcase series starring and executive produced by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson.

LOS ANGELES: Veteran programming executive and producer David Eilenberg, who most recently worked at Turner, has been tapped as president of ITV America’s newly named production company, ITV Entertainment.