James Murdoch is to return to Sky as chairman in a move that many believe could presage a renewed attempt by 21st Century Fox to consolidate the pay TV giant by acquiring the 60.4% of the organisation that it does not already own Current chairman Nicholas Ferguson will step down at the end of April […]
National Geographic is axing almost 10% of its 2,000 staff, just months after Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox took control of the 127-year-old organisation. Around 180 staff – about 9% of the total workforce – will be affected by the cuts, which followed Fox paying US$725 million to take majority control of a new venture, […]
A raft of Hollywood stars are on board the new series of Years of Living Dangerously, the eco doc from National Geographic. Fox-owned Nat Geo will put the new series out in the US and across its international footprint. It sets out to raise awareness of the effects of climate change and will launch next […]
21st Century Fox has taken majority control of its National Geographic Channels joint venture. The Murdoch-controlled media group has paid joint venture partner The National Geographic Society US$725 million to take its percentage of the business up to 73%. Previously a 50-50 JV, NGS will now own the remaining 27%. The resulting venture will be […]
Gail Berman’s production outfit, The Jackal Group, has entered into a first-look development deal with veteran producer Gary Auerbach, who launched MTV series Laguna Beach and Singled Out. The pact includes development of scripted and non-scripted programming. Auerbach was most recently executive VP of NBCUniversal-owned Wilshire Studios, where he was able to sell 35 shows […]
Discovery Networks International has poached factual production veteran Ed Sayer to join Phil Craig’s new look content team. Sayer will be VP, production and development, factual, reporting to DNI executive VP and chief creative officer Craig, who has been looking to define a new style of high-end factual programming dubbed ‘new chip’ since joining from […]
21st Century Fox is saying goodbye to senior programming executive David Hill after more than three decades. Hill, currently senior executive VP at the US-based media giant, is leaving to launch a production venture titled Hilly, which will focus on live production, reality series, production consultancy to organisations and digital investment. Hill is an institution […]
National Geographic Channel has acquired the forthcoming feature documentary He Named Me Malala and will play it in 171 territories. The deal with 21st Century Fox-owned Fox Searchlight Pictures means the doc will play on Nat Geo channels around the world next year. The film paints a portrait of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl shot […]
Former National Geographic Channels president Howard T. Owens has launched a production company, which counts A+E Networks as an investor. Owens (left) will be joined at Propagate Content by former A&E channel general manager David McKillop (below, right) with the latter taking on the role of chief creative officer. Owens, who is Propagate’s CEO and […]
National Geographic Channels has bought a package of programming from TCB Media Rights. The 21st Century Fox-owned channel has picked up three TCB titles for its Asian channels. TCB sells CJZ/Greenstone programming internationally and its show Dog Patrol will go out on the Fox Crime. One-off doc Pet Hoarders, from UK indie Lambent, and six-part […]
