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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 …

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 …

LOS ANGELES: BET Networks and Telepictures are partnering on a new daily talk show, The Keke Palmer Project (working title), which is slated for a July launch on the channel. The daytime series will be hosted by singer/actress/activist Keke Palmer, who will be covering a variety of topics, including social …

NEW YORK: Viacom vet Matt Califano has been named Spike TV’s new VP of program scheduling. In his new role, Califano will plan and execute the network’s program scheduling and acquisitions strategy. He’ll also oversee the day-to-day operations supporting distribution models such as HD, VOD, DTO and 3D, as well …

SEATTLE: A new licensing agreement between Amazon and HBO makes Prime Instant Video the exclusive online-only subscription home for a range of HBO programming, including True Blood. For the first time ever, HBO series such as The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, The Wire, Big Love, Deadwood, Eastbound & Down, Family …