News


US deal for Rising Star

ABC has ordered a ten-episode US version of Rising Star, the next-generation singing format distributed by Keshet International. The US broadcast network ordered the format from Keshet DCP, marking the first deal for the recently created joint venture between Israel’s Keshet and Dick Clark’s US prodco. Rising Star will bow next summer on ABC and […]

Ex-Target sales boss lands NBCU formats role

Former Target Entertainment head of sales Hannah Worrall has joined NBCUniversal’s international formats team, TBI has learned. Worrall has landed the new role of VP, format sales at NBCU International Production, the Comcast-owned company confirmed this morning. She will report to NBCUI’s senior VP, formats and production Yvonne Pilkington, who recently returned from maternity leave. […]

CEO of Zodiak’s Marathon Media exits

Vincent Chalvon-Demersay has left Marathon Media, the French kids producer that is part of Zodiak Media. Zodiak said Chalvon-Demersay left the company a few days ago (November 17) and has sold his small equity stake in Zodiak to its parent company De Agostini. He joined Marathon in 1999 and between January 2012 and September 2013 […]

Eyeworks hands new Nordic role to Esben Halding

Eyeworks executive Esben Halding has been handed the new role of head of Nordic cooperation at the formats producer and distributor. Eyeworks said the newly-created role underlines the importance of the Nordic territories to the company and that, in the new position, Halding will “intensify the cooperation between the [Nordic] countries”. Halding will undertake the […]

News brief: Yahoo cuts music content deal with Vevo

Music video streaming service Vevo has cut a deal with internet service provider Yahoo. The content deal means Yahoo will get access to 75,000 music videos for its Yahoo Screen and omg! platforms in the UK. The UK deal follows similar agreements between Yahoo and Vevo in France, Italy and Spain. Vevo, often called the […]

BSkyB adds 14 channels to mobile service

BSkyB has added 14 entertainment channels to its Sky Go mobile TV service. New channels on the service include MTV, with Geordie Shore available on demand; Comedy Central, offering shows including South Park; UKTV channels Gold, Watch, Dave, Good Food, Eden and Alibi; Nat Geo, Nat Geo Wild, Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet; and History, including […]

Disney’s new German channel catches Dino Train

The new Disney free-to-air channel in Germany will have Henson’s animated series Dino Train when it launches in January. Disney is exiting the Super RTL channel and launching a free TV Disney Channel in Germany from the start of next year, replacing Das Vierte. It will have a strong pipeline of Disney content and is […]

Matt Hatter travels to Italy, Turkey

Platinum Films has sealed new deals for its boy-skewed action series Matt Hatter Chronicles. Italian pubcaster RAI has picked it up in Italy and OFLAZ Media Group has taken Turkish rights. In Italy the show will go out on RAI’s kids channel RAI Gulp. The Italian broadcaster has taken seasons one and two of the […]

Continuum creator launches drama indie

The creator of Syfy series Continuum has partnered with the co-founder of Canadian prodco Brightlight Pictures to create a new drama indie. Simon Barry (pictured), also Continuum’s showrunner, and Stephen Hegyes have hooked up to create Reality Distortion Field. The company is billing itself as a “uniquely genre-focused production company that will develop original TV […]

Tributes pour in for doc maker Peter Wintonick

The international documentary community is in mourning following the news veteran industry figure Peter Wintonick has died aged 60. Wintonick, a popular face in international factual circles thanks to his involvement in numerous trade festivals and projects and vociferous support of indie production, was reported to be battling advanced stage liver cancer on Friday. He […]