CONTENT UKRAINE: Ukraine’s TV industry has “very high” potential thanks to advantages like low production costs, but more investment needs to be made in infrastructure, the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky told C21.

Former MGM/UA president Steve Stark, whose credits include dystopian drama The Handmaid’s Tale, has unveiled the senior creative team at his recently launched prodco Toluca Pictures.

Houston-based investment management firm Voss Capital has acquired roughly 10.5% of the outstanding shares of Canadian studio Thunderbird Entertainment Group.

ViacomCBS and its MTV Entertainment arm have inked an exclusive overall deal for original scripted and unscripted series with British actor David Oyelowo (Selma) and British actor and singer Jessica Oyelowo.

PBS-owned drama strand Masterpiece, UK broadcaster ITV and Poldark prodco Mammoth Screen are joining forces on a four-part miniseries adapting Henry Fielding’s classic novel The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling.

In the C21FM Weekly Review Show, which this week runs from 10am today to 10am on Monday September 13, we play highlights from a great week on the station. Tune in for a mix of music, news and interviews that put the global content business in perspective.

Chinese streamer Tencent Video is developing a new kids’ original series Rainbow Bubblegem, with production partners Campfire Aniworks and Live Fun on board and a Korean broadcaster attached.

The US arm of UK-based producer and distributor All3Media is partnering with showrunner and executive producer Charles Wachter to launch an unscripted-focused production outfit called Hard North Media.

CONTENT UKRAINE: Ukrainian producers have forecast a shift in domestic viewer habits away from hard-hitting social drama towards more light-hearted content.

UK production company Projector Pictures has secured the rights to a trilogy of spy thrillers written by author and journalist Charlotte Philby, granddaughter of Cold War spy Kim Philby.

Canada-headquartered Boat Rocker Media has inked a first-look deal with US producer Stephanie Langhoff and her newly launched production outfit, High Tide Productions.

India-based kids’ prodco Toonz Media Group has set up a new arm to oversee the launch of new linear channels in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Middle East/North Africa region.

Canada’s WildBrain is looking to breathe new life into one of the oldest properties in its IP vault, the Strawberry Shortcake brand, with a range of new video content, games, toys, books and other products.

Arctic drama series The North Water (5x60’), which premieres tonight on UK pubcaster BBC2, has clocked up 38 international territories ranging from Australia to Japan, BBC Studios confirmed today.

Banijay-owned Bunim/Murray Productions has solidified its leadership team under president Julie Pizzi, with promotions for several executives and new additions to the senior ranks.

Keshet 12 has recommissioned baking format The Perfect Dessert (10x60’) for a second season, following its debut earlier this summer.

The distribution arm of European production group All3Media has appointed former Kew Media Distribution executive Jennifer Askin as its senior VP for North America.