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NEWS & FEATURES

  • Thai network takes Flim Flam
    Thailand’s Modernine TV has picked up a children's quizshow format from German distributor Global Screen.
  • Aardman, BBC execs plant Wildseed
    Former Aardman Animations broadcast boss Miles Bullough has teamed up with BBC alumnus Jesse Cleverly to launch a company with £500,000 (US$782,000) to invest in entertainment formats.
  • BBC lines up Mellor drama
    BBC1 in the UK has commissioned a new drama from the creator of Band of Gold, Fat Friends and The Syndicate,
  • Battle of the brands
    Disney’s dominance of the global L&M business is undeniable but faces challenges from both online and long-established brands, writes Kevin Downey.
  • Clan chimes in for Tickety Toc
    Spanish children's channel Clan TV has picked up preschool animated series Tickety Toc from Zodiak Kids.
  • Scripps puts content online
    US cable broadcaster Scripps Networks Interactive is making programming from five of its channels available online.
  • Liberty makes move for Kabel D
    Liberty Global has made a preliminary offer to buy Germany's biggest cable company, setting up a possible bidding war with UK telecoms giant Vodafone.
  • MTG eyes more acquisitions
    Europe’s Modern Times Group is exploring further acquisitions after last week splashing out on Norwegian prodco Novemberfilm and UK distributor DRG.
  • Birds of a Feather to fly again
    BBC comedy Birds of a Feather is returning to UK television after a 15-year hiatus – but this time will air on commercial broadcaster ITV.
  • Croatia sells first drama format
    A Slovakian broadcaster has commissioned what is claimed to be the first remake of a Croatian drama format, ordering 100 episodes of a long-running FremantleMedia soap.
  • Oz prodco growth continues
    The combined income of Australian production companies has risen by 38% over the past five years, according to a report.
  • ITV2 renews Fake Reaction
    UK network ITV2 has greenlit a second season of a comedy-entertainment show based on a Japanese gameshow format.
  • NBC hires for longform push
    NBC in the US is ramping up its longform production efforts and has appointed a former ABC executive to lead the push, which includes more overseas coproductions.
  • Russia acquires taste for Global format
    Russian broadcaster Friday has licensed another 45 episodes of daily cooking format Blind Taste from Turkish distributor Global Agency.
  • BBCWW shuffles South Asia team
    BBC Worldwide has reshuffled its sales team in South Asia following a group-wide restructure and the appointment of a former Disney Media Distribution sales exec.
  • Wot a deal for BesTV
    China’s BesTV has picked up a second season of New Zealand preschool show The WotWots.
  • ERT back on air, relaunch planned
    Greek pubcaster ERT is broadcasting again after the country’s highest court overruled prime minister Antonis Samaras’s decision to close down the organisation.
  • C5 climbs aboard Little White Van
    UK commercial broadcaster Channel 5 has taken on a children's show previously aired by rival ITV and greenlit a new celebrity reality series.
  • OWN content heads down under
    Discovery Networks International will air a weekly programming block from OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in Australia, continuing the content's international expansion.
  • Fox preps Italian sports channel
    Fox International Channels is preparing to launch Fox Sports in Italy, having acquired local rights to a host of European football leagues.
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EDITOR'S CHOICE

  • Vice squad goes global Vice has grown from a Canadian hipster fanzine into a global publishing phenomenon, with a multimillion-viewer following on YouTube. Julian Blake reports.
  • The feelgood factor German distributor Global Screen has its sights set on the formats market and is hoping to score with its focus on light entertainment.
  • Sideways glance Matt Heiman of Diagonal View tells Jonathan Webdale why the company doesn’t only focus on YouTube videos and why the site’s original channels were absolutely needed.
  • Along different lines Marie Jacobson, executive VP of programming and production at Sony Pictures TV Networks, tells Clive Whittingham how she avoided a 'Europudding' with forthcoming series Crossing Lines.
  • Super! charging De Agostini’s fledgling DTT channel is going for growth in Italy’s cutthroat kids’ TV market. Gün Akyuz reports.
  • Looking beyond Transparent James Burstall of UK production group Argonon talks to Andrew Dickens about global strategy following the company's acquisition of factual prodco Transparent TV.
  • No crazy fool Ricky Gervais’s revival of David Brent may have helped launch YouTube’s Comedy Week but Ash Atalla, producer of The Office, is sticking with traditional TV, he tells Jonathan Webdale.
  • Go east, young man An increasing number of US showrunners are heading to Europe to fund their latest dramas. Ed Waller asks one of them why.
  • Agent provocateurs Producers now see talent agents as vital when it comes to accessing the US networks. Clive Whittingham finds out about their changing role.
  • Starting from a fresh base Bolstered by investment from The Chernin Group and having won pitches for a string of YouTube original channels, Base79's Ashley MacKenzie tells Jonathan Webdale what’s next.