The EU is about to set the parameters for trade negotiations with the US and the EBU, an association of over 50 public broadcasters, says that the TV industry should be removed from the partnership talks. As well as harming the finances of the industry, including TV in the trade talks would damage cultural diversity within Europe, it said.

“The audiovisual industry should be explicitly excluded from the European Union’s mandate to negotiate a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the United States,” said Ingrid Deltenre, director general of the EBU.

The EBU cited figures estimating that 4.5% of EU-wide GDP is derived from cultural services and noted that the region wide film and TV market was worth €17 billion, although that figure is based on 2008 data.

Deltenre said: “We need the EU to defend the interests of the European audiovisual sector, and to ensure that the mandate given to the European Commission for negotiating on behalf of the EU takes those interests into account. The ability of the EU and Member States to support and stimulate the audiovisual sector needs to be maintained.”

The EU needs to be explicit in excluding the audiovisual sector from trade talks, according to the EBU, to combat the inherent commercial advantages it says the the US entertainment business has, which include a greater capacity to invest in media and better economies of scale.

The EBU noted an imbalance in the import and export of audiovisual content. It said that in 2010 the EU imported €7.5 billion of US content while just €1.8 billion was exported to the States.

Opening the audiovisual sector to free trade with the US would mean US media companies would be entitled to EU support schemes, but be exempt from regulatory obligations, the EBU added.

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According to the Journal, Liberty Global has put Chellomedia up for a sale in a move that could potentially lead to a deal valued at between US$800 million and US$1 billion.

The report, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, said that the cable giant hired advisers about a month ago and is in talks with several possible buyers. According to one of the sources cited, the talks could lead to a full or partial sale, a joint venture or no sale at all.

If a deal is struck, it is likely to come by this autumn, the paper said.

It is not yet clear why Liberty Global is mulling a sale at this time.

However, at the Cable Congress in London in March, Liberty Global chief executive Mike Fries said that large content investments were not part of the company’s forward-looking plans, and that Chellomedia’s “strategic benefits to us are somewhat limited”.

Speaking at the Congress, Fries said that, while Chellomedia was a good business, it was “not part of our strategic plan to start investing massive amounts of capital in content providers”.

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The Swiss based over the top provider’s ad-supported VOD service is carried in 120 countries and the premium drama titles it has picked up are primarily for the US, Australian and European markets.

Viewster has acquired 240 hours of content in all. From All3Media International Viewster has picked up teen drama Skins (left), taking exclusive rights in Australia and Germany.

From Shine International it has acquired BBC drama Mayday and comedy series Moving Wallpaper.

From Starz it has also acquired Ving Rhames drama Gravity, comedy series Hollywood Residential and Jeff Goldblum movie Head Case from Starz.

It has also picked up various drama series from Korea’s KBS including popular Korean drama Boys Over Flowers.

Viewster CEO Kai Henniges said: “We are making a significant new investment in content that we can provide on an ad-supported basis and that is also attractive to our young and growing audience across the globe that prefers on-demand over appointment viewing.”

He added that Viewster is tailoring its acquisitions strategy by region.

“In the United States, we follow a multi-niche approach with in-demand series from Europe, Asia and other regions. Our U.K audience receives an ever-increasing library of national and international top titles. In Australia and the German-speaking countries, we strongly count on U.S. and U.K. titles that cannot be easily found otherwise,” he said.

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A one-hour special on Disney Channel will be followed by a full series on the boy-skewed Disney XD channel. The special will go out in autumn 2014 in the US.

The creative team attached to the new project includes Simon Kinberg (X-Men: First Class), who will pen the first episode of and executive produce the series. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (pictured) director Dave Filoni will also exec produce.

In March Lucasfilm said that it had cancelled Clone Wars and postponed the Star Wars Detours project. The news followed the US$4 billion acquisition of the studio by Disney. At the time it said animated Star Wars projects would be moving in a new direction.

The new special and series will be set between the events of Star Wars Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope. Disney said: “Star Wars Rebels takes place in a time where the Empire is securing its grip on the galaxy and hunting down the last of the Jedi Knights as a fledgling rebellion against the Empire is taking shape,” before adding: “Details about the show are a closely guarded secret at this point.”

“I couldn’t be more excited to explore new corners of the Star Wars universe,” said Kathleen Kennedy, president, Lucasfilm. “I think Star Wars Rebels will capture the look, feel and fun that both kids and their parents love about Star Wars.”

Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide, said, “The entire team at Lucasfilm has provided extraordinary creativity and innovation for over three decades, and we’re thrilled to be bringing the expansive and imaginative world of Star Wars to Disney XD’s viewers.”

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The UK-listed company said that it invested 6% more year-on-year in TV programming (excluding kids)  in the year to end-March, taking the total to £79.7 million.

The TV division, which covers scripted, reality and kids programme production and distribution, recorded revenue of £132.4 million, a 15% year-on-year increase. Profit was up 3% at £18 million.

Half of the TV programmes eOne delivered in the year were returning series, the company noted while new commissions included Thandie Newton cop series Rogue and Discovery Gold Rush drama Klondike. Upcoming shows include werewolf series Bitten and sci-fi offering The First Martian War.

Peppa Pig was the revenue and profit driver at the kids and family division. eOne has just picked up rights to Simon’s Cat and said it wants to further wide the number of kids and family brands in its portfolio.

Overall company revenue was £629.1 million compared with £502.7 million a year earlier. Pre-tax profit came in at £53.8 million compared with £43 million.

eOne said it plans to grow its content portfolio and expand its geographic reach.

Speaking to TBI before MIP TV in April, CEO Darren Throop (pictured) said there will likely be one or two acquisitions of TV firms as eOne expands.

“There is an opportunity for organic growth, but as I look across the TV sector I can see interesting potential acquisitions as well as partnership and coproduction opportunities,” he said at the time.

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The series comes from Sierra/Engine and Oscar-nominated movie producer Michael Ohoven’s Infinity as revealed by TBI in March.

The series follows a group of contestants who think they are taking part in a Survivor-esque reality show in the Siberian wilderness, but soon realise something more sinister is occurring as things start going wrong.

Broadcast net NBC will start airing the series on Monday, July 1 in a 10pm slot.

“NBC immediately saw the potential in Siberia and this acquisition truly exemplifies the quality of this groundbreaking series.” said executive producer and Sierra/Engine CEO Chris Philip.

The series is scripted but filmed in a reality style as the ‘contestants’ become aware there is more to the competition they are taking part in than first appears.

“We created the series as a dramatic human experiment shot under difficult conditions and we are thrilled to see it on NBC,” Ohoven said.

“The concept of survival, when mysterious elements are at play, makes for a compelling show,” said Jeff Bader, president, programme planning, strategy and research for NBC Entertainment. “We believe a scripted series that offers an insightful behind-the-scenes view of how a reality concept comes together — especially when things don’t go according to plan — will connect with our audience.”

Sierra/Engine is distributing the series and launched it internationally at MIPTV. It is showing it to international buyers through LA Screenings week.

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Disaster Chefs is a 10x30mins series, hosted by Gastronauts’ Stefan Gates, in which a celebrity cook will help a child who has reported his or her parent for being a terrible cook. It will debut on CBBC this summer.

CBBC controller Cheryl Taylor has also commissioned a new series of Driving Academy (pictured) in which careless drivers undertake a masterclass to improve their skills behind the wheel. The new 10x30mins series, which will go out this summer, will feature celebrity bad drivers.

Zodiak Kids will distribute Celebrity Driving Academy and Disaster Chefs in international markets.

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The historical three-parter will go out on BBC Four and examine the role of exceptional women in ancient Rome.

The first episode will look at trailblazing women of the early Roman Empire, the second, the deadly rivalry between powerful women of the Imperial Court and the final installment the outsiders who ultimately helped shape the Empire.

The show was commissioned by Martin Davidson, commissioning editor, History and Business, and Richard Klein, the former controller of BBC Four who is leaving for a role at ITV.

The show, which will be presented by Birkbeck, University’s professor Catherine Edwards (pictured), will start on BBC Four on May 29.

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The NYTVF runs various development initiatives, but this is the first time it will be accepting submissions from international, as well as domestic, producers and creatives.

The Challenge tasks creatives with making a twelve-episode scripted series that has episodes of two minutes or less. The winner will be decided at a pitching event taking place at the Festival in October.

The winner will receive US$75,000 to work up their project, which will be shown on MSN.

“Shortform is an under-appreciated art form on the web. We are excited to work with the New York Television Festival to discover video storytellers who know how to delight MSN audiences in two minutes or less,” said Adam Berliant, editor in chief, MSN Video and Entertainment.

Entrants must submit two two-minute episodes and a series treatment. Entries must be submitted between June 24 and August 9.

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Solar Studios will take over the space and facilities previously housed under the Kantauros Studios, which was acquired by Savulescu, banner.

SEG is the film-focused business created by financier and filmmaker Bobby Paunescu and Jared Underwood, a former executive at film finance group Comerica.

The new Studio facility will service the production of film, TV and commercials. Solar said that the Bucharest-based Studio will be the “most complete, full service studio in Eastern Europe and one of the leading studio enterprises in all of Europe.”

Veteran producer Viorel Sergovici has been hired to run the day-to-day operations of Solar Studios.

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