European production outfit Asacha Media Group has hired Disney sales director Maria Grazia Ursino to oversee the recently formed company’s development and distribution activities. Ursino becomes VP of content development and distribution at Asacha, which was launched earlier this year by Endemol Shine Group’s former COO Marina Williams, ex-Zodiak Media France CEO Gaspard de Chavagnac and MBC chief Marc-Antoine […]
Disney’s Asia Pacific president Uday Shankar is stepping down from his position after 18 months in the role. Shankar, who was also chairman of Star and Disney India, joined the Mouse House in February last year having previously been president of 21st Century Fox in Asia. He moved into his most recent role after Disney […]
Disney’s eagerly awaited streamer, Disney+, has officially launched in the US, Canada and the Netherlands – where it had already been running a free trial since September. The streamer will also launch in Australia and New Zealand on November 19, while other major European countries such as the UK, France and Germany will have to […]
Disney is shaking up its channels operation in Africa following its acquisition of 21st Century Fox, and has handed an expanded remit to Fox Networks Group (FNG) Africa GM Evert van der Veer. According to TV With Thinus, which first reported the news, the exec will now head Disney’s media networks operation for Africa, managing […]
Disney’s president of global content sales and distribution Janice Marinelli (pictured), who has been with the company for more than 30 years, is stepping down from her position. Marinelli was most recently overseeing US and international programme sales for the Mouse House, as well as distribution of its direct-to-consumer apps to platforms and networks around […]
The Walt Disney Company has set a March 20 date to finalise its $71.3bn acquisition of 21st Century Fox. The company announced the news after receiving the final sign-off from Mexican regulators on Tuesday (12 March). Mexico wanted reassurance that Disney would sell off Fox’s regional sports networks (RSN’s) to approve the merger. The RSNs […]
Disney has valued The Handmaid’s Tale SVOD Hulu at around US$9.26bn, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing made this week. The SEC filing, submitted on Wednesday (November 21), shows that Disney made $450m in “capital contribution” to Hulu in 2018. The platform, in which Disney will have a 60% stake upon completion […]
Amazon is among the companies currently bidding for 22 regional sports TV networks Disney has had to divest as a result of its 21stCentury Fox acquisition, according to reports. The multi-faceted platform is bidding for all of the networks, including the YES network, according to CNBC. Apollo Global Management, KKR&Co, The Blackstone Group, Sinclair Broadcast […]
Chinese regulators have approved the Disney-Fox merger weeks after the Mouse received a conditional greenlight from the European Commission. China granted unconditional approval for the acquisition, which sees Disney take over Fox’s entertainment assets, including its Asian operations via Fox Networks Group Asia. Chinese approval of the deal, which came on Monday (November 19), is a […]
Ahead of Disney’s completion of the 21st Century Fox acquisition, ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey (pictured) has made the decision to step down and will be succeeded by Freeform originals head Karey Burke. Dungey, who has been with the business for 14 years, has shepherded a wide range of award-winning programming for ABC including The Good […]
