NEWS & FEATURES

• Glasser secures $300m for 101 launch
  The former chief operating officer of The Weinstein Company has teamed up with a group of financiers to launch a global entertainment outfit and has already secured US$300m to invest in film and TV.
• BritBox tracks down crime drama Taggart
  BritBox, the joint-venture North American streaming service from BBC Studios and ITV, has acquired all 27 seasons of Scottish detective drama Taggart.
• Int'l nets buy Barcroft reversions
  Broadcasters in Australia, Asia and Europe are amongst those to have picked up longform programming reversioned from shortform on UK-based Barcroft Media's digital channels.
• M6 books Dick Wolf's FBI
  French channel M6 has become the latest broadcaster to acquire new Dick Wolf drama FBI from distributor CBS Studios International.
• Walking Dead wins Parrot demand award
  NATPE: Zombie drama The Walking Dead was the most in-demand TV series in the world during 2018, according to TV ratings company Parrot Analytics.
• Kew Media cues up Lat Am sales
  NATPE: Broadcasters across Latin America have acquired more than 100 hours of programming from Canada’s Kew Media Group.
• Viacom buys Pluto TV for $340m
  US media giant Viacom has agreed to buy advertising-supported streaming service Pluto TV for US$340m.
• Netflix's Roma, Favourite lead Oscar noms
  Streaming giant Netflix picked up its first best picture nomination in the Academy Awards for Alfonso Cuarón’s Spanish-language original film Roma, which led the field with 10 nominations.
• Televisa, Endemol Shine link on copros
  Mexican broadcaster Televisa has struck a far-reaching deal with Endemol Shine Boomdog to coproduce a variety of programmes together.
• TV Azteca doubles up on Voice order
  TV Azteca in Mexico has ordered multiple seasons of singing competition format The Voice and become the first broadcaster in Latin America to acquire rights to spin-off The Voice Senior.
• Stan wants more of The Other Guy
  Australian SVoD service Stan has ordered a second season of a comedy-drama about a radio host who is pushed back into the dating pool after discovering his girlfriend was having an affair with his best friend.
• NowThis debuts originals arm
  Discovery-backed digital outfit Group Nine Media has launched a new division within its NowThis mobile news unit, focusing on producing original content.
• BBC4 sails into Safe Harbour
  BBC4 in the UK has expanded its international drama offering after acquiring series including Safe Harbour from Australia.
• HBO, int’l nets alight at Pina’s Pier
  Telenet in Belgium, Ziggo in the Netherlands and HBO are some of the broadcasters to have acquired thriller The Pier from La Casa de Papel showrunner duo Álex Pina and Esther Martínez Lobato.
• C4 fund adds BBC, Discovery execs
  UK pubcaster Channel 4 has appointed a former BBC Studios executive and the ex-president of global content at Discovery Communications to work across its Indie Growth Fund.
• Viacom, Mega team for survival
  NATPE: Viacom International Studios and Chilean media firm Mega have teamed up to coproduce a new survival reality show.
• Endeavor hires Endemol Shine alum
  Endeavor Content, the US company launched after the merger of WME and IMG, has appointed the former chief operating officer of Endemol Shine Group to its senior management ranks.
• Amazon adds to The Expanse
  Amazon Prime Video will become the exclusive SVoD home to the first three seasons of sci-fi drama The Expanse, which the streamer revived after US cabler Syfy cancelled the show.
• Mediapro, Televisa tee up copros
  NATPE: The US division of Spain's Mediapro and Mexican broadcaster Televisa have agreed a deal to coproduce premium series together, with the first projects and networks already lined up.
• Lighthouse locates Firecracker exec
  Irish animation specialist Lighthouse Studios has appointed a Firecracker Films exec as its new MD.

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