News


Mick Desmond exits IPCN as CMC buys in

China-focused rights business IPCN has secured an injection of capital from Chinese state-backed private equity fund CMC, while former ITV executive Mick Desmond has sold his share in the company and exited the business. The undisclosed investment from CMC, executed through its investment vehicle Gravity, gives it 48.1% of a new holding company, Pegasus. IPCN […]

Beyond targets UK content acquisitions

The new acquisitions boss at Beyond Distribution says the distributor wants more content from the UK to take to market, and also wants to add programming in new genres to the catalogue. Caitlin Meek-O’Connor became head of acquisitions at Beyond earlier this year, replacing the long-serving Yvonne Body following her retirement. Beyond was in Cannes […]

Comedy Central, C5 remaking Impractical Jokers

Viacom-owned Comedy Central UK and Channel 5 have jointly ordered a local version of US unscripted format Impractical Jokers. The deal is the first between pay TV channel Comedy Central and free-TV service Channel 5, which Viacom acquired last year. The show has been remade in the UK previously, with a BBC Three version running […]

Fox hires one, promotes two in Asia

Fox International Channels has promoted two senior execs at its Asian unit and brought another into the business. Rohit D’Silva (pictured) has taken the newly-created role of executive VP, commercial, overseeing channel distribution commercial activity across the Asia Pacific and the Middle East regions. D’Silva is a FIC veteran and has most recently been running […]

Disney adds on-demand services to Astro’s SVOD

Disney’s branded on-demand services have been added to the SVOD service of Astro, the Malaysian pay TV operator. Disney Movies on Demand, ABC Studios on Demand and Disney on Demand are now all available on the Astro Plus streaming service, meaning a raft of series and movies from the studio are now available on-demand to […]

Netflix, BBC in key Planet Earth streaming deal

Netflix’s push into natural history programming continues after the streaming service secured US rights for the BBC’s entire Planet Earth series. The deal with BBC Worldwide North America could soften the blow landed on the BBC when Netflix last week announced it was working on a 4K Planet Earth follow-up with the series’ producer, Silverback Films, […]

MIPTV attracts 11,000 delegates

The organisers of last week’s MIPTV said that 11,000 delegates were in Cannes for the international TV market. The number is flat year-on-year and the same as that reported for the 2012, ’13 and ’14 editions of the event. There were, Reed Midem said, 4,000 buyers in town 1,000 of whom were acquiring for digital […]

MTG reports strong sales, Nordic gains

Modern Times Group reported record sales in the first quarter, with lower revenues in its Scandinavian free TV business offset by sales growth in Nordic pay TV and free TV in emerging markets. Announcing the results, MTG said that enhanced efficiency in its traditional business helped to fuel growth in its digital businesses and that […]

Gravity floats buyer interest in Cannes

Upside Television’s Ø Gravity, A Mission in Space was the most-screened doc by buyers at MIPDOC last week. The one-off had its world premiere at the documentary market, in part explaining the level of interest. The show follows two young astronauts as they train for their inaugural space mission, and then the mission itself. Astronaut […]

Netflix greenlights Ansari comedy

Streaming service Netflix has given the greenlight to an untitled comedy series from stand-up and comic actor Aziz Ansari. Ansari, who has starred in a number of Netflix stand-up specials, co-created the show with Parks and Recreation’s Alan Yang. They will executive produce alongside Michael Schur, David Miner and Dave Becky. Parks and Rec producer […]