What you missed over the holiday period: TV news highlights

Around the world, industry execs are dusting off the holiday season cobwebs, slurping down the extra strong coffee and apprehensively planning a January gym routine. To get you all up to date for 2018, TBI runs down the biggest news that emerged over the Christmas period.

Netflix buddy cop movie arrests 11 million

Netflix’s original film Bright has defied critics by pulling in an estimated eleven million viewers in its first three days after release.

The movie, which stars Will Smith and Joel Edgerton, pulled in more viewers than the second season of The Crown, according to Nielsen data, but less than the second Stranger Things.

Netflix is notorious for its refusal to release viewing data, which means analysis firms such as Nielsen often offer the best picture of uptake of the SVOD service’s content.

Reed Hastings’ pay hike at Netflix

Remaining in Los Gatos, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings (below right) saw his pay packet skyrocket.

In 2018, he will bag US$28.7 million in company stock options, which is more than US$20 million up on his returns from 2017.

Hastings’ base salary of US$850,000 will fall, but he is still reportedly worth around US$2.2 billion.

MTG makes Monster hire

Scandinavian broadcaster and digital business MTG hired Monster Entertainment executive producer Christian Meinseth.

He was appointed development manager for TV3, Viasat 4, TV6 and Viafree, all of which are Norewgian networks from the MTG TV stable.

While at Monster, Meinseth has worked on formats such as NRK’s music competition Stjernekamp, TV2’s The Stream (pictured) and TVNorge’s Alt for Norge (Everything for Norway).

His appointment is the last in a spate of hires and newly created specialised programming roles that MTG TV has made recently.

BBCWW’s Asian services purchase Poldark, Victoria & Agatha Christie titles

BBC Worldwide (BBCWW) acquired programming from All3Media International and ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVSGE) for its BBC First and BBC Player nets in Asia.

From All3 comes spy drama Agatha Christie’s Partners in Crime, one-off drama Hawking, seasons five to eight of Inspector George Gently, ITV drama Liar, and seasons 19 and 20 of Midsomer Murders.

The BBC’s commercial arm has also bought seasons one to three of Poldark (pictured), and seasons one and two of Victoria.

The shows all premiere in the first quarter of this year, either on the best-of-BBC network BBC First and SVOD service BBC Player.

Cablevision’s SVOD service bags BBCWW programming

Latin American SVOD service Flow secured a batch of BBC Worldwide (BBCWW) programming.

The 50-title deal includes British dramas Rillington Place, The Honourable Woman (pictured), Luther, Doctor Who and BBC, France Télévisions and Amazon Prime Video coproduction The Collection.

On the factual front are shows such as The Hunt and Wild Patagonia, plus David Beckham: For the Love of the Game and Prince William and Prince Harry – Prisoners of Celebrity. There are also a number science and kids titles in the package.

Nat Geo on course with TVF skiing doc

National Geographic Europe was one of a number of channels to buy TVF International’s skiing-themed doc The Will to Fly.

Ahead of the Winter Olympics next month, Nat Geo has bought rights to the 1x52mins / 1x95mins doc for 15 European territories.

Finnish public broadcaster YLE, Brazil’s Globosat and Japan’s NHK were among other buyers.

The Will to Fly follows aerial skiing Olympic gold medallist Lydia Lassila as she attempts to perform a manoeuvre considered among the most complex and dangerous in acrobatic sports.