http://www.c21media.netC21 Latest Newshttp://www.c21media.net/uploads/jpeg/asset_145_hl.jpghttp://www.c21media.net/Copyright © C21 Media 2006http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44149&area=1German media giant RTL is considering buying News Corp-owned Bulgarian TV station bTV for €1.1bn (US$1.56bn), according to local reports.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44149&area=1http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44148&area=1Greg Berlanti, the US scribe who has been behind an ABC series each year for the last three years, has his sights set on 2008/09 with a new pilot for the network.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44148&area=1http://www.c21media.net/features/detail.asp?article=44212&area=28In the next instalment in an on-going series, Emily Brookes unveils a new online series and a music education-based kids show, both debuting to the international market at Mipcom and available to view first on C21screenings.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/features/detail.asp?article=44212&area=28http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44152&area=1Shine Group's distribution arm ShineReveille International, which kicks off its week-long 2008 London Screenings today, has signed a trio of output deals in Europe, the Middle East and New Zealand.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44152&area=1http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44151&area=74HBO's US version of BBC comedy series Little Britain is to air on UK public broadcaster BBC1 this autumn.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44151&area=74http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44146&area=1US cablecaster Turner Broadcasting System will launch TNT Serie, its fourth German pay-TV channel, on the country's Premiere platform in January next year.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44146&area=1http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44144&area=5Multichannel New Zealand pubcaster Television New Zealand, which last year made a loss of NZ$7.1m (US$4.73m), has reversed its fortunes, posting a full-year after tax profit of NZ$19.4m.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44144&area=5http://www.c21media.net/features/detail.asp?article=44143&area=28Littleloud has recently rebranded itself as a digital entertainment company – a clear statement of its intent, writes Jonathan Webdale, in the latest instalment of C21's season on The New Producers.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/features/detail.asp?article=44143&area=28http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44142&area=1CBS Paramount International Television has racked up a number of international sales for its daily talkshow hour The Doctors, ahead of its US syndication debut this fall.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44142&area=1http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44141&area=89Online retail giant Amazon has launched its Video On Demand service, a beta version of which began testing in July, allowing customers to buy or rent TV shows to either stream online or download.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44141&area=89http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44140&area=100The distribution arm of Brazil's Globo group, which has been diversifying its slate over the last year, has bumped up its one-off doc All My Life to a five-part series, which will debut at Mipcom.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44140&area=100http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44139&area=73Feeling the heat as multichannel competition bites, Canale 5 played it safe last season by recycling its bank of tried and tested programming, and launched few new shows. Anna Rotili reports on the channel's performance and prospects.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44139&area=73http://www.c21media.net/features/detail.asp?article=44158&area=28The Olympics wasn't only a huge moment for China as it played host to the world's greatest sporting event, it was also the first major test for Microsoft's Silverlight media player, writes Jonathan Webdale.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/features/detail.asp?article=44158&area=28http://www.c21media.net/features/detail.asp?article=44157&area=28From TiVo to Amazon, personalised recommendation systems have long been the butt of many 'you'll-never-guess-what-it-suggested-I-might- like' jokes. Adam Benzine discovers if intuitive video services are getting any smarter.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/features/detail.asp?article=44157&area=28http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44156&area=74NEWS BRIEF: Dutch distributor Absolutely Independent has appointed Gertjan van Valen as its international format sales manager, replacing Marieke van Meerten from September 15.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44156&area=74http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44155&area=74NEWS BRIEF: French broadcaster M6 has acquired a pair of unscripted formats from the international market for local production; one from Scandinavia, one from the UK.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44155&area=74http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44154&area=1NEWS BRIEF: UK network ITV could next week lose its place on the FTSE 100 - The Financial Times' share index of the 100 most highly capitalised companies listed on the London Stock Exchange.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44154&area=1http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44153&area=89NEWS BRIEF: Dutch IPTV provider Tele2 has signed deals with Warner Bros and Disney-ABC-ESPN Television to make movies from the two distributors available on its video-on-demand service.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44153&area=89http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44150&area=89US news network CNBC has partnered with social business site LinkedIn for a strategic alliance that includes distribution of CNBC content across the LinkedIn network.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44150&area=89http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44147&area=79NEWS BRIEF: UK-based Bulldog Licensing has pinned down a book deal for the Thumb Wrestling Federation with publisher Random House.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44147&area=79http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44145&area=1LA-based consulting agency Lawless Entertainment has struck two deals to help develop new projects for coproduction and distribution.Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44145&area=1http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44134&area=1Spin-offs of two major original cable series, a scripted show from Thom Beers and a new reality project from genre heavyweight Mark Burnett, are among pilot and development updates from the US networks.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44134&area=1http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44133&area=5French broadcaster AB Group has unveiled a revamped line-up for its digital terrestrial channel, NT1, including a two series acquisition deal with US cablenet HBO.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44133&area=5http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44131&area=1UK distributor Digital Rights Group is to expand into North America, appointing former HBO International president Lee deBoer as its US chairman.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44131&area=1http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44118&area=74BCWW NEWS: Global format alliance Sparks Network has signed up a Korean prodco, bringing its membership to more than 20 companies covering more than 50 territories.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44118&area=74http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44138&area=1BCWW NEWS: Cable giant Comcast International Media Group has joined forces with Korean terrestrial SBS to launch a localised version of the E! Entertainment Television channel.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44138&area=1http://www.c21media.net/features/detail.asp?article=44137&area=28The global credit crunch and looming economic clouds may spell trouble for the factual realm, but there are opportunities out there, argues Adam Benzine.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/features/detail.asp?article=44137&area=28http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44130&area=1Youth-skewing US terrestrial The CW has pushed back the launch of its new Sunday night block, which has been outsourced to producer Media Rights Capital, by three weeks.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44130&area=1http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44129&area=74Swiss-Italian producer and distributor Polivideo has inked a deal to represent fellow prodco Distraction in Italy and other Italian speaking regions.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44129&area=74http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44128&area=100Virgin Media Television-owned UK cablenet Living has unveiled details of its forthcoming fall/winter slate, featuring Living With Jade Goody, a factual series charting the titular reality star's battle with cancer.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44128&area=100http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44127&area=100New York firm Lightworks Programme Distribution has begun to reap the rewards of having a dedicated Latin American sales agent, closing a two-show deal with Mexican broadcaster TV Azteca.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44127&area=100http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44126&area=79Dive Olly Dive!, Taffy Entertainment's environmentally-conscious preschool series, has been expanded to a daily series on VOD service PBS Kids Sprout.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44126&area=79http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44125&area=100London-based specialist factual distributor TVF International has closed high-volume sales across Asia as the company posts one of its strongest quarters to date.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44125&area=100http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44124&area=100BBC Worldwide Australia has licensed more than 550 hours of lifestyle, factual and comedy content in three separate deals with XYZNetworks, Foxtel and How To Channel.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44124&area=100http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44123&area=79UK pubcaster ITV has teamed up with fossil fuel supplier British Gas initiative to develop Green Up Your Life, a kids' programme to air on CiTV with online content across itv.com and citv.co.uk.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44123&area=79http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44122&area=1MGM Networks is continuing its channel expansion in Eastern Europe with the launch of The MGM Channel if further territories in the region.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44122&area=1http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44120&area=79Decode Entertainment, the distribution arm of Canadian group DHX Media, has notched up sales for six of its kids' series to Greece's Channel 9.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44120&area=79http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44136&area=1DCD Media, the AIM-listed television production and distribution group, has appointed Liam Hamilton, MD of its subsidiary prodco Prospect Pictures, to the newly-created role of director of business development at DCD Media.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44136&area=1http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44135&area=1NEWS BRIEF: Female-skewed US cablenet Lifetime Networks has named JoAnn Alfano, former NBC Studios VP of primetime series, as its exec VP of entertainment, effective immediately.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44135&area=1http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44132&area=79NEWS BRIEF: 4Kids Entertainment is to premiere Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds (52x30'), a spin-off of its Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise, at next month's Mipcom.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44132&area=79http://www.c21media.net/features/detail.asp?article=44119&area=28UK indie So Television, best known for producing the Graham Norton franchise, has taken its first steps into children's programming with two very different, but equally novel productions, reports Emily Brookes.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/features/detail.asp?article=44119&area=28http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44117&area=74If you were given a Korean won every time the word 'format' was mentioned here at this week's BCWW convention in Seoul, you'd be very rich indeed, despite the exchange rate, writes Ed Waller.Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44117&area=74http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44095&area=79Literary rights giant Chorion is developing a high-concept preschool property based on Meomi's Octonauts children's books, which is being backed by three major terrestrials including the BBC, its exec chairman Lord Waheed Alli has told C21.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44095&area=79http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44089&area=5French pubcaster France Télévisions has said producers need to reduce programming costs in the face of a ban on advertising in evening slots.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44089&area=5http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44087&area=74BCWW NEWS: Endemol is opening an office in Seoul to sell its formats to the local market, senior licensing manager Maarten Meijs told delegates here at the BCWW conference in Korea.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44087&area=74http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44099&area=5So Television, the UK indie jointly owned by entertainer Graham Norton and producer Graham Stuart, is at work on a number of new ventures, including an online entertainment project and two more instalments in the Bring Back... series for Channel 4.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44099&area=5http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44097&area=1Members of the Screen Actors Guild have been asked for their views on the final primetime contract offered by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, more than two months after it was put on the table.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44097&area=1http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44096&area=1News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch has stepped in to broker a "tentative truce" between his Fox News network and US presidential candidate Barack Obama, according to reports.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44096&area=1http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44094&area=100National Geographic Channels International has acquired the broadcast rights to the mountaineering documentary special King Lines from distributor Shankly International.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44094&area=100http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44093&area=1The extended US pilot season is rumbling on, with nets continuing to announce projects from big name creatives and actors.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44093&area=1http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44092&area=100KPI, a unit of Lightworks Producing Group, has been commissioned by Discovery for two global projects, both set to air this winter.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44092&area=100http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44090&area=79Canadian cablenet Vision TV, which specialises in multi-faith and multi-cultural programming, has commissioned its first original hour-long drama series from Canuck indie DHX Media.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44090&area=79http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44088&area=74BCWW NEWS: Dutch distributor FCCE is making a big push into Asia, opening a Singaporean office this week and another in Japan in October, its chief commercial officer Justus Verkerk told C21 here in Seoul.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44088&area=74http://www.c21media.net/features/detail.asp?article=44104&area=28Cube is among a number of digital agencies whose work with TV companies is bringing it ever closer to commissioning, reports Jonathan Webdale, as C21's season on The New Producers continues.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/features/detail.asp?article=44104&area=28http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44103&area=1NEWS BRIEF: Former BBC HD head Seetha Kumar has been appointed as controller of the corporation's overall website, bbc.co.uk.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44103&area=1http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44102&area=74UK pubcaster BBC2 is in discussions about reformatting long-running business current affairs show The Money Programme, which has aired as a regular series for more than 40 years.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44102&area=74http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44101&area=1NEWS BRIEF: Globo Internacional has signed Swiss cable operator Cablecom as a distribution partner for its Portuguese-language international channel, TV Globo Internacional.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44101&area=1http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44100&area=1News Corporation-owned Asian media group Star has signed its first channel distribution deal with a US cable provider, Cox Communications, the third-largest such company in the country.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44100&area=1http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44098&area=1NEWS BRIEF: German distributor Constantin Film has appointed Friedrich Wildfeuer, co-founder of Cologne-based prodco Typhoon, to head its TV production arm.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=44098&area=1http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44091&area=73Over the last year Dutch commercial service RTL7 has sharpened its profile to become 100% male-skewing. Director of programmes, Boudewijn van Schaik talks to Gün Akyuz about the channel's shift in content priorities and upcoming plans.Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?article=44091&area=73