NEWS & FEATURES

• Int'l nets add Studio Ghibli's Ronja
  Broadcasters in France, Belgium, Switzerland and Taiwan have acquired a 26-part animated series produced by NHK in Japan with Studio Ghibli and The Astrid Lindgren Company.
• Will Ferrell backs Amazon economy doc
  Amazon has ordered a documentary series offering a comedic take on the global economy from Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, with actor Kal Penn as host.
• YouTube takes second Step Up
  YouTube Premium (fka YouTube Red) has commissioned a second season of dance drama Step Up: High Water, based on the popular film franchise.
• BBC2 shifts Gere for MotherFatherSon
  Pretty Woman actor Richard Gere is to return to TV after more than 30 years to star in UK pubcaster BBC2's forthcoming drama MotherFatherSon.
• Viasat World eyes copro shift
  European pay TV operator Viasat World is looking to board projects at an increasingly early stage to secure regional rights for its networks.
• UKTV draws on Favourite Sketch
  Multi-channel broadcaster UKTV has commissioned an original series for its Gold network that sees comedians talk about their favourite comedy sketches.
• UK writers' guild blasts gender disparity
  Only 14% of primetime scripted TV in the UK is written by women, helping to create a “self-sustaining loop” of inequality, according to a report published today.
• Sky1 tracks down Big Beasts with Offspring
  European satcaster Sky has commissioned a three-part factual series for Sky1 in the UK that looks at some of the world’s largest animals.
• Hulu, Super Channel meet Okine's Other Guy
  US streamer Hulu and Super Channel in Canada have acquired a semi-autobiographical comedy-drama from Australia created by and starring local comedian Matt Okine.
• Telemundo, Imagen buy Kanal D dramas
  Broadcasters across Latin America have picked up drama series from Turkish distributor Kanal D International.
• MTG completes Zoomin buy-out
  Scandinavian media group Modern Times Group has increased its stake in digital content company Zoomin.TV to 100% in a deal worth a total of €17m (US$20m).
• Nat Geo Kids preps Lat Am puppets
  Nat Geo Kids, the children's channel from National Geographic Partners in Latin America, has ordered an original preschool puppet show for its linear and digital channels.
• Epsilon signs writing duo for original drama
  Greek commercial broadcaster Epsilon TV has signed an exclusive deal with two of the country’s most prolific scriptwriters as it prepares to push into original drama commissioning for the first time.
• Netflix to switch on AXN's Ultraviolet
  Netflix has picked up the US and global streaming rights to Polish crime drama Ultraviolet.
• Rubini upped at TCFTVD
  Ricardo Rubini has been named senior VP of sales, Latin America, at Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution.
• Love exec takes Shiver development role
  ITV Studios’ factual label Shiver has hired an executive from The Great British Bake Off producer Love Productions as head of development.
• C4 to refloat Shipwrecked
  UK commercial pubcaster Channel 4 has ordered a return of reality competition series Shipwrecked for its youth-skewing network E4.
• NextUp expands Amazon distribution
  NEWS BRIEF: Comedy-focused UK streamer NextUp has expanded its distribution agreement with Amazon by launching on Amazon Fire TV.
• Int'l networks meet Henry again
  Broadcasters including Nick Jr, RTÉ in Ireland, ABC in Australia and TVP in Poland have renewed their deals with Irish distributor Monster Entertainment to air the latest season of The Day Henry Met…
• BBC3 ready to Face the Consequences
  BBC3 in the UK has commissioned a shortform factual series that brings young people face to face with those who have been affected by their actions.

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