Pawn Stars


Beyond Duck Dynasty…

Stuart Carter, Pioneer Productions So what would you do if you suddenly won US$1 million dollars on the lottery? To help give you some ideas, one million is enough to buy you a Pagani Huayra supercar capable of 230mph. Very tempting. A Hublot Big Bang watch (hideous but there are those that buy them) or […]

Foxtel takes First place

Foxtel’s director of programmes Brian Walsh tells Jesse Whittock about the Australian pay TV leader’s content wishes, tackling online piracy through new services and plans for its upcoming BBC-branded premium channel. Next year will mark a significant milestone in the history of Australian television when pay TV platform Foxtel becomes the official content partner of […]

A+E makes History in Russia

A+E-owned channel History is launching in Russia today. History and its HD sister channel have gone live on the NTV+ platform and will roll out on Rostelecom before the end of the year. The channel’s line-up includes the Ice Road Truckers, Pawn Stars, American Pickers and American Restoration franchises and in the US has moved […]

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 […]

A&E European launch confirmed with Canal+ deal

A+E Networks has joined forces with Canal+ and will launch local A&E and Crime & Investigation channels in France. Canal+’s factual channel Planete has traditionally been a big buyer of A+E Networks content but this is the first time Canal+ and A+E have joined forces to launch channels. Planete+ A&E and Planete+ CI have launched […]

Leftfield, Rigg launch reality prodco

Pawn Stars producer Leftfield Entertainment and former Argonon unscripted exec Nick Rigg are setting up a new joint venture prodco. Loud TV will be based in New York, with Rigg as founder and his former Leopard Films USA colleagues Julian Locke and Lauren Deen as executive VP and senior VP, lifestyle development, respectively. Rigg left […]

ITV Studios poaches Shaftel from Pawn Stars producer Leftfield

ITV Studios America has recruited Rob Shaftel as senior VP, development. He joins from Leftfield Pictures (Pawn Stars) and will develop show for cable and broadcast nets from ITV’s New York offices. Shaftel will report to Bruce Robertson, head of development for ITV Studios America. He said: “His expertise will help ITV Studios America continue […]

Pawn Stars producer Leftfield promotes key execs

Pawn Stars producer Leftfield Pictures has promoted two of its key executives, David George and Chris Valentini. This comes as the production company, run by Brent Montgomery, is currently in production with a UK remake of its hit reality series Pawn Stars and has recently opened an office in LA as it targets the scripted […]

Canada’s turn to shine

Canada is a top originator of English-language scripted and factual content. Ever savvier of the international market, the country’s producers and distributors are more aggressively seeking out US partnerships as a springboard to the rest of the world, reports Mark Dillon. One reason Canadian producers need a global outlook is a challenging broadcast landscape at […]