News


News brief: RAI appoints drama boss

Italian public broadcaster RAI has upped Luca Milano to deputy director, RAI Fiction. Milano was previously head of animation production at the Italian pubcaster. In his new executive deputy director role at RAI Fiction, he will oversee marketing and planning. He will also retain his previous role and head up the Italian company’s animation initiatives. […]

News brief: Ex-Scripps Intn’l chief Moyer launches firm

Greg Moyer, the former president of Scripps Networks International, has launched his own company, a New York-based multiplatform content house. Blue Chalk Media officially launched yesterday. It will “incubate a new era of rich media storytelling as digital distribution pushes traditional media brands to ‘go mobile’,” said Moyer, who is its CEO. Moyer exited Scripps’ […]

Amazon says original series Alpha House wins the weekend

Having launched the first episodes of Alpha House last Friday (November 15), Amazon said its original comedy series was the most-watched show on its streaming service over the weekend. Earlier this year Roy Price, director of Amazon Studios, told TBI that the company would eschew the Netflix model of releasing all episodes of a series […]

Zodiak hires new entertainment VP

Zodiak Rights has recruited Andrew Sime as its new VP, entertainment. Sime joins from Turkey-based distributor Global Agency where he was head of acquisitions. In his new Zodiak role he will work with Zodiak in-house production companies and third party producers to develop formats with international potential. He will then oversee the distribution strategy of […]

Ex-Imira exec launches distrib, bags ZDFE shows

Former Imira Entertainment sales chief Christophe Goldberger has acquired Asian distribution rights to the ZDF Enterprises kids catalogue, which includes live action series Wolfblood (pictured). Goldberger has launched consultancy Gold Bee, which is based out of Barcelona, and will head to the Asia Television Forum with ZDFE.junior programmes including Q Pootle 5 and Wolfblood. Gold […]

Disney brings on-demand services under ABC Studios banner

Disney is rebranding its on-demand services as part of a wider initiative to have ‘ABC Studios’ as an umbrella brand for its content products and services. Catherine Powell, senior VP, Media Distribution, EMEA at The Walt Disney Company, told TBI that moving forward SVOD platforms that want Disney-distributed content will be sold it as part […]

Russian Netflix-style service plans live channels push

Ukraine-headquartered VOD service Megogo.net is planning to launch live channel feeds through its service, according to marketing director Ivan Shestakov. Speaking at the OTTtv World Summit in London, Shestakov said that Megogo – which operates in the Ukraine, Russia and the former Soviet states – is currently trialling the streams and is in direct discussions […]

News brief: FX orders Guillermo del Toro drama series

FX has ordered Strain, a thirteen-part original series based upon the vampire book series by Guillermo del Toro. The series will follow a doctor heading up a disease control unit as a mysterious virus breaks out, infecting people with an ancient strain of vampirism. Production starts in Toronto next month and the US cable net […]

Discovery orders Filipino Typhoon Haiyan doc

Discovery Networks International has ordered Megastorm: World’s Biggest Typhoon, a one-off documentary about weather phenomenon, which wrought havoc in the Philippines earlier this month. Discovery commissioned the doc from UK news and current affairs specialist ITN Productions. It will have never before seen footage from ITN’s crews on the ground insight from scientists in the […]

News brief: Scripps buys Peace Point lifestyle shows

Scripps Networks International has acquired a trio of lifestyle shows from Canada’s Peace Point Rights. These are the 65x30mins Fresh with Anna Olson, 20x30mins Bake with Anna Olson and 14x30mins Keasha’s Perfect Dress. Nick Thorogood, senior VP, content and marketing, Scripps UK & EMEA, said: “Anna Olson has become one of our most popular chefs […]