News


The CW takes Shaftesbury’s digital series to TV

The CW is taking digital series Backpackers from the web to TV. The US broadcast network will show new episodes of the show from this sumer with a ten-episode run of half-hour episodes. The first four eps will use content from the web series, which previously went out on The CW’s digital platform CW Seed, […]

Tera Mater and francetv distribution cut doc output deal

Factual producer Tera Mater Factual Studios and francetvdistribution, have agreed an output deal. Under the terms of the deal, the French company, which is the commercial arm of the French pubcaster and was formerly known as France Télévisions Distribution, will sell Tera Mater’s documentary content in French-speaking territories. In France the content will also play […]

UKTV buys Gillian Anderson drama from Fox

UKTV has acquired Crisis, the new US drama series starring Gillian Andersen. The series, which is distributed by Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution, follows the abduction of the president’s son and the children of other important figures. Anderson plays Meg Fitch, the CEO of a conglomerate, whose daughter is part of the mass abduction In […]

Discovery collars DOGTV stake

Discovery Communications has taken an unspecified stake in cable channel DOGTV. The network creates programming aimed at dogs to keep them company when their owners are not at home. The 24/7 channel offers shows to relax and stimulate canines, along with busy ‘exposure’-themed shows. Discovery says the agreement to buy the stake will “help accelerate […]

Spotnitz’s shines Big Light on Tandem deal

The X-Files creator Frank Spotnitz, who is here in Cannes promoting season two of Transporter: The Series, has penned a first-look deal with Germany’s Tandem Communications. This will see Tandem getting first-look distribution rights to programming from Spotnitz’s London-based indie Big Light Productions. “Frank has set a very high benchmark for quality TV programming since […]

Game of Chefs played in Germany

German channel Vox has is remaking Israeli cooking competition format Game of Chefs. The format, which comes from ITV Studios and Reshet joint venture The Lab, will roll out in Germany early next year in a primetime slot. ITV Studios is coproducing with Constantine, which produces the show in Israel. In Israel, a second season […]

RAI merges sales divisions

The commercial arm of Italian pubcaster RAI is restructuring, with its Trade division coming together with other sales factions. RAI Trade will be part of an enlarged group that also comprises RAI Net’s commercial activities and the digital-sell through part of RAI Cinema. It will house exclusive distribution of Italian and overseas RAI TV and […]

BBC Worldwide conducts Maestro format deal

BBC Worldwide has struck a deal for a new, local version of its conducting format Maestro, TBI has learned. The commercial arm of UK public broadcaster the BBC has shopped the format to Croatian pubcaster HRT. In the show celebrities train to become orchestra conductors before taking control at a large, televised concert. The seven-part […]

Tuvalu making BBC’s Stargazing Live for Ned1

Tuvalu Media, the Dutch production company that recently separated itself from Sony, is making a local version of UK format Stargazing Live for Dutch pubcaster Nederlands 1, TBI has learned. The show has proved popular in the UK winning above-average share on public broadcaster the BBC’s BBC Two channel. The Dutch version, for Ned1’s older-skewing […]

Lagardère creates formats and digital divisions

French production group Lagardère Entertainment has introduced at MIP TV it’s two new divisions aiming at going further in terms of new formats development and digital. Reporting to CEO Takis Candilis, Julien Poinot has been named to ramp up the efforts of LE’s producers pool in their search for new formats, across unscripted and fiction […]