A group of kids producers has written to the government, urging it to up its spend on UK-originated kids programming as the debate around funding kids TV continues. In their letter, sent last week to UK culture secretary John Whittingdale, minister for the digital economy, BBC director general Tony Hall and the BBC Trust, the […]
UK-based indie Nevision has acquired a majority stake in French television financier and sales house About Premium Content. The former, a two-year-old production and financier, has paid an undisclosed amount for the APC, which former Zodiak Media CFO Laurent Boissel and ex-France Télévisions and Canal+ channels chief Emmanuelle Guilbart co-founded. Both companies will operate independently […]
Nigel Pickard has joined the board of UK indie Nevision, which has also brought on producer Sharon Bloom to work up new scripted projects for the international market. Nevision was formed in 2013 by The Ruth Rendell Mysteries producer Neil Zeiger and one of the creators of Doc Martin, Tim Buxton, as a prodco and and funding […]
A major UK children’s TV lobbying group has welcomed government comments that suggest tax breaks for live-action kids series could be forthcoming. In an open letter to the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, The Children’s Media Foundation urged the tax breaks be committed to in the UK’s Autumn Statement, which outlines government spending […]
Nigel Pickard is set to join Dial Square Eighty Six, the new content company founded by RDF founder and former Zodiak Media boss David Frank, TBI has learned. Veteran kids and family producer Pickard (pictured) announced his departure from Zodiak in April and in June, Jean Philippe Randisi was named Zodiak Kids’ CEO. Michael Carrington […]
Michael Carrington is leaving his position of VP of global content at Hit Entertainment to join Zodiak Kids’ prodco The Foundation as CEO. He is being replaced at Hit by former Warner Bros. executive Christopher Keenan. The move to Zodiak comes after the departure of the long-serving Foundation chief exec Nigel Pickard. “Michael is an […]
Jean Philippe Randisi has been named as Zodiak Kids’ first CEO. He joins from ITV Studios Global Entertainment, where he was executive VP and director of consumer products. The appointment comes after the departure of long-serving children’s programming chief Nigel Pickard in April. Randisi will be in charge of Zodiak Media’s entire kids’ business, which […]
Nigel Pickard is leaving Zodiak Media. Pickard was in charge of kids programming at RDF Media and at Zodiak after it acquired RDF in 2010. He will also step down as chairman of Zodiak-owned kids prodco The Foundation. Zodiak said Pickard will return to programme-making and will “pursue new ventures”. Recent commissions for The Foundation […]
The Foundation has appointed Gwen Hughes as its new boss after co-founder Vanessa Hill announced her departure from the Zodiak Media-owned kids producer. Hill is leaving to join Jacabo, the company formed by The Foundation’s co-founder, Ged Allen after he left the Zodiak company last year. She will retain a connection with The Foundation and […]
