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LOS ANGELES: Spike TV has appointed Lauren Ruggiero as the senior director of scripted development, reporting directly to Ted Gold, the senior VP of scripted original series. Ruggiero’s new responsibilities in this role will include expanding the company’s development slate and co-managing show production. She joins Spike TV from Elice …

SILVER SPRING: As part of a series of changes at Discovery Communications' U.S. networks, Rich Ross has been elevated to group president of Discovery Channel, Science Channel and Animal Planet. Ross has been serving as president of Discovery Channel. He now extends his remit to also include Animal Planet and …

NEW YORK: Turner Broadcasting System has acquired a majority stake in iStreamPlanet, which provides large-scale, live-event streaming, TV Everywhere network simulcasts and OTT multiplatform solutions. Turner will leverage iStreamPlanet’s technology to deliver its OTT programming, shift its core technology infrastructure to the cloud and develop new products and services for …

UNIVERSAL CITY: NBC Entertainment has teamed up with Keshet Studios on a first-look programming agreement for the network that also includes a co-production partnership for scripted content with NBC's Universal Television. This pact expands the existing relationship between NBCUniversal and Keshet Media Group's Keshet International (KI), which launched the Los …

UNIVERSAL CITY: NBC has made a pilot production order for an untitled comedy project from Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, as well as a series commitment for an untitled Michael Schur project. Emmy Award winners and producing partners Tina Fey and Robert Carlock are returning to NBC with a pilot production …

ENGLEWOOD: DISH Network and Sinclair Broadcast Group have agreed to a short-term contract extension as they negotiate a new retransmission agreement, averting a potential blackout of local TV channels. The current agreement was set to expire at 11:59 p.m. last night. The extension preserves DISH customer access to 153 local …

NEW YORK: NBCUniversal has made a $200 million equity investment in BuzzFeed, coming on the heels of it picking up a stake in Vox. BuzzFeed is a global media company that reaches more than 200 million monthly unique visitors and 1.5 billion monthly video views. As part of the investment, …

LOS ANGELES: FOX in the U.S. has ordered a third season of Hotel Hell, the hit reality series hosted by chef and hospitality expert Gordon Ramsay. Hotel Hell looks on as Ramsay attempts to transform failing American hotels into establishments that live up to his high standards. Casting is now …

BEVERLY HILLS: Starz has rolled out a multiplatform sampling of its upcoming shows Survivor’s Remorse and Blunt Talk ahead of the series’ linear premieres on August 22. Two episodes of Blunt Talk, a half-hour comedy starring Patrick Stewart, and the first season of the LeBron James executive produced Survivor’s Remorse …

KNOXVILLE: Brooke Johnson, the president of Scripps Networks Interactive’s food lifestyle brands including Food Network and Cooking Channel, has decided to retire after more than 12 years with the company. Johnson joined Food Network in 2003, overseeing the creation of programming franchises such as Chopped, Cutthroat Kitchen, Food Network Star …