NEWS BRIEF: BBC1 in the UK has commissioned another two seasons of period drama Call The Midwife from Neal Street Productions.

Today we hear from Keshet International's Kelly Wright and Passion Distribution's Tom Burton about the rise of local SVoD services and the alternatives they present to programme sellers and producers as global players proliferate.

Commercially funded UK pubcaster Channel 4 took home three prizes at the annual International Format Awards, held digitally this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The International Format Awards digital ceremony streams live today at 3pm BST.

UK distributor Cineflix Rights has a wide-ranging slate of content for Spring/Summer 2021. Head of scripted James Durie and head of acquisitions Richard Life talk us through the playlist and discuss how it reflects the needs of a buoyant market.   As the world slowly begins to return to normal, the audience’s appetite for new […]

Today we hear from VIS Distribution's Laura Burrell about her expectations of this year's virtual MipTV, plus a number of new deals hot off the press, while Blue Ant International's Ludo Dufour discusses how streamers are changing the landscape for programme sales.

Justin Beekye, founder and CEO Submissions and enquiries online via [email protected] and on www.watchafricanow.vhx.tv

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With relatively small budgets, big runs and family co-viewing, gameshows could be one of the genres to trend heavily with commissioners looking for Covid-friendly content. But physical formats, the lack of studio audiences and testing large numbers of contestants pose challenges. Clive Whittingham reports.   Gameshows have been enjoying something of a renaissance in recent […]

Tom Bowers of consultancy Hypothesis Media looks at the tech that has brought virtual audiences to studio-based shows in lockdown, and how it could evolve post-Covid-19.