The National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) has rearranged two of its key events in a bid to avoid the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. NATPE Budapest International, which had been due to take place 30 June to 3 July, will now run later between 25 and 27 August, while organisers have shuffled the […]
Acclaimed Indian director Mira Nair tells Richard Middleton how she paired up with War & Peace scribe Andrew Davies on a lavish adaptation of Vikram Seth’s seminal novel A Suitable Boy for the BBC Mira Nair makes no bones about it: she has always loved Vikram Seth’s 1993 novel A Suitable Boy, a book […]
European broadcasters continue to scramble to adapt to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the UK’s ITV unveiling a £500k ($615k) development fund while Channel 4 and Spain’s Atresmedia cut pay. ITV’s director of TV Kevin Lygo revealed that the fund is designed to accelerate the search for new ideas and content for the channel to play […]
The Edinburgh TV Festival (ETF) is to become a digital-only event as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The 2020 Festival will not have a physical presence this year but organisers said it will still deliver The MacTaggart Lecture, controller sessions and its awards, as well as the TV Foundation’s talent schemes. Digital sessions […]
Roku has launched its AVOD service, the Roku Channel, in the UK with an offering that includes more than 10,000 TV episodes, documentaries and movies. Roku has launched the service, which is available without a subscription or login, after striking deals with more than 40 content partners including All3Media International, EndemolShine Group, FilmRise and DRG, […]
Canada-based Cream Productions has struck co-production partnership with actor, host and producer Dominic Monaghan and his production company Monkey Spunk. Under the deal, Cream and Monaghan will create, develop, and produce unscripted programming as well as augmented reality and virtual reality content. The Lord Of The Rings and Lost actor has worked on multiple occasions […]
ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI) has taken full control of Israeli content producer and pay-TV provider Ananey Communications Group. VCNI is acquiring the shares in Ananey that it does not already own, after taking a minority stake in the group in December 2016. Details of the transaction have not been revealed. As a result, Ananey will […]
Middle East operator MBC Group – which appointed ex-Zodiak Media CEO Marc Antoine d’Halluin as CEO in December – has now added former Viaplay and NENT Studios exec Jakob Mejlhede Andersen to its senior management ranks. Mejlhede Andersen becomes chief content officer at MBC’s streaming service Shahid with a remit that includes working across all […]
UK broadcasters and producers have called on the culture secretary to ensure that TV industry freelancers will qualify for financial support during the Coronavirus crisis. The government announced a package of support last week, but leading industry figures still have concerns that a swathe of those employed in the TV sector will not be covered. […]
The BBC has revealed a five-point plan designed to support the UK’s independent production sector through the Covid-19 pandemic, including doublding the invesgtment in its ‘small indie’ fund. The UK pubcaster said it was “committed to maintaining the creative health and viability of its supply base across the UK during the current disruption and challenges” […]
