NEWS BRIEF: ViacomCBS-owned UK terrestrial Channel 5 has greenlit four further episodes of wildlife show Elephant Hospital.

Vincent Bollore’s Vivendi, owner of French pay TV operator Canal+, has acquired another stake in local production firm Lagardère.

African SVoD service Showmax has commissioned the first Nigerian version of NBCUniversal’s format The Real Housewives.

RTS: Chief content officer for HBO and HBO Max, Casey Bloys, refused to be drawn on whether streamers’ thirst for rights will put an end to coproductions in the future.

RTS: Chief executive of Ofcom Dame Melanie Dawes has shut down claims that the UK media regulator’s independence is in danger.

RTS: The director general of the BBC Tim Davie has refuted claims the pubcaster offers poor value for viewers despite the loss of many home-grown stars to global VoD platforms, such as Phoebe Waller Bridge signing a deal with Amazon.

RTS: A privatised Channel 4 would mean programming such as Russell T Davies’ hit drama It’s a Sin would not be made, according to its CEO, Alex Mahon

RTS: HiddenLight Productions, the UK- and US-based prodco started by Hillary and Chelsea Clinton with Sam Branson, has optioned the Maisie Dobbs series of novels by Jacqueline Winspear.

RTS: The BBC’s licence fee contributes to fighting “media poverty” because it provides educational and informative content at a lower price point than its competitors, the UK pubcaster’s chairman Richard Sharp has said.

LA-based Latinx-focused media company Mucho Mas Media has partnered with UK-based streaming tech specialist Digital Media Distribution to launch a lifestyle and entertainment VoD platform in Latin America.