Universal Channel


Universal Channel books in drama with TNT’s The Librarians

Universal Channel has acquired international rights to upcoming drama series The Librarians. The upcoming series is based on a TV movie franchise and will debut on US cable net TNT in December. NBCUniversal’s Universal Channel will show it within 24 hours of the US TX in 100 international territories across Australia, Asia, Europe and Latin […]

NBCU hires Lat Am veteran for GM role

NBCUniversal’s global channels unit has hired Klaudia Bermudez to become its senior VP and general manager for Latin America. In the role at Universal Networks International, Bermudez will report to Ken Bettstellar, managing director, Latin America. She will be charge with driving growth across the region, based out of Miami and effective as of June […]

LA Screenings 2014: Chrystele Fremaux, Universal Networks International

As buyers flock to Los Angeles for the May Screenings, TBI speaks with key players about what’s on their 2014 shopping list. Which channels are you buying for? We are buying mainly for Universal Channel, Syfy, 13th Street and Diva. Our other brands across the region – Studio Universal, Telemundo, E! and Style – don’t […]

NBC recruits TV veteran as Australia and NZ boss

NBCUniversal has hired Chris Taylor, a veteran of the Australian and New Zealand TV industries as its Sydney-based VP, international television. The new role involves working across NBCUniversal’s channels and programme sales business in Australia and New Zealand following the studio’s move to combine both sides of the business. Taylor spent over a decade at […]

ITV renews output deal with Universal Networks Oz

ITV Studios Global Entertainment has renewed a programming deal with Universal Networks International (UNI) in Australia. The UNI channels get first look, in pay TV, at all scripted content from the UK broadcaster’s distribution arm under the terms of the deal. The first pick-ups following the agreement include all seasons of Vera, Murdoch Mysteries, Above […]

News brief: Universal Channel buys US Rake from Sony

Universal Channel has acquired US drama series Rake. The UK pay TV channel has bought the show from Sony Pictures Television which produces the series along with Fedora Entertainment. Rake stars Greg Kinnear (As Good As It Gets) as a self destructive criminal lawyer. It is a US remake of an Australian drama of the […]

Sky Deutschland sports strong results

Sky Deutschland reported strong growth in its second quarter, with viewer numbers boosted by the operator’s sport line-up and coverage of domestic and international football. Sky recorded increased operating momentum with total customers up 47,900 to 3.453 million in the quarter, with CEO Brian Sullivan commenting that “with Bundesliga exclusivity, an unrivalled sport offering, great […]

Telemundo launching pay TV channel across Africa

NBCUniversal-backed Spanish language broadcaster Telemundo is launching a pay TV channel across almost 50 African countries. The Telemundo channel will be programmed with the company’s telenovelas and be carried on Multichoice’s regional DTH platform DStv. The new service will roll out on August 12 under the ‘Telemundo’ moniker. The channel, which will be made available […]

Universal Channel to go live in Germany

NBCUniversal International Television’s channels division is set to launch its flagship pay-TV brand Universal Channel in Germany for the first time on September 5. The channel will be available on Sky Deutschland in HD and on Deutsche Telecom, in both HD and SD, with the rollout following a recent look, logo and tagline overhaul for […]

Universal Channel buys Bates Motel for Asia, rebrands

Universal Channel in Asia has acquired Bates Motel, the A&E Network drama based on Alfred Hitchcock horror Psycho, as part of a new global strategy to focus on character-driven programming. The network’s parent, NBCUniversal International Television, plans to rebrand the channel across the 103 territories it broadcasts in, starting with its Asian channel feed on Sunday […]