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<title>TBI - Television Business International -  Rss Feed </title>
<description>A list of articles from the TBI vision website</description>
<link>http://www.tbivision.com/</link>
<lastBuildDate>Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:47:07 -0800</lastBuildDate> 
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<title>MEG builds formats catalogue - 12/03/10</title>

<link>http://www.tbivision.com//article.php?category=&amp; article=1422</link>
<pubDate>12/03/10</pubDate> 

<description><![CDATA[Clips-show specialist MEG has added more shows to its formats catalogue, beefing up the slate of the recently-launched formats division. It has picked up French and UK-originated formats that it will launch internationally at MIP TV.
andnbsp;
MEG has added Catch Me If You Can from French indie La Creature and This Is Your Fridge from UK-based Mendoza Films.
andnbsp;
Catch Me If You Can is a dating format that has been stripped on French DTT channel Virgin 17. The show follows five girls as they look for their soul mate. Viewers can contact the girsl via SMS and the red button and attempt to get a date.
andnbsp;
This Is Your Fridge has already proved successful across Scandinavia where it aired as a primetime half -our show on TV2 Denmark, SVT (Sweden) and NRK (Norway). The show raids the fridges of celebrities. MEG will relaunch the format at MipTV.
andnbsp;
MEG announced the launch of its format division earlier this year. Its first acquisition was the Miss Lingerie model format from Kiwi producer Comedia. The formats division is being headed by former Distraction exec Sarah Coursey.]]></description>
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<title>Oprah nets gets new programming team - 12/03/10</title>

<link>http://www.tbivision.com//article.php?category=&amp; article=1423</link>
<pubDate>12/03/10</pubDate> 

<description><![CDATA[OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network has rejigged its executive team four months after the hire of Lisa Erspamer as chief creative officer.
andnbsp;
Three unscripted executives are set to oversee development for the US cable net, which is a joint venture between factual channel operator Discovery Communications and Winfrey's Harpo Productions, and replace Jamila Hunter, who joined as head of programming in June.
andnbsp;
Hunter will move from head of programming to a development role.
andnbsp;
A trio of former MTV execs, Michele Dix, Drew Tappon and Rod Aissa , will head up programming under the new structure. Aissa and Dix will jointly programme primetime with Tappon daytime.
andnbsp;
There have been numerous coming and goings at OWN since it was first announced last year. The net is scheduled to launch at the start of next year.
andnbsp;
andnbsp;]]></description>
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<title>Who Do You Think You Are? travels around the world - 11/03/10</title>

<link>http://www.tbivision.com//article.php?category=&amp; article=1419</link>
<pubDate>11/03/10</pubDate> 

<description><![CDATA[Outright Distribution has sold the US version of genealogy format Who Do You Think You Are? to a raft of international broadcasters.
andnbsp;
The Wall to Wall format, which premiered earlier this month on US network NBC, has been sold to Australia's Nine Network, New Zealand's Prime as well as Canada's Rogers, Denmark's DR, Finland's MTV3, Sweden's SVT, Israel's DBS and Ireland's RTE.
andnbsp;
The series follows well known celebrities including Susan Sarandon, Sarah Jessica Parker, Spike Lee and Brooke Shields as they trace their family tree.
andnbsp;
The show is produced by Shed Media US and is exec produced by Wall to Wall chief exec Alex Graham and Friends' star Lisa Kudrow.]]></description>
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<title>James Grant set up new formats division  - 11/03/10</title>

<link>http://www.tbivision.com//article.php?category=&amp; article=1420</link>
<pubDate>11/03/10</pubDate> 

<description><![CDATA[James Grant Group has launched a TV formats division following the hire of former William Morris agent Holly Pye.This comes after former ITV executive chairman Michael Grade joined the management company, which looks after stars including Ant and Dec, Fearne Cotton and Davina McCall.
andnbsp;
Pye will become head of television at the company and will create, develop and sell formats alongside its top stars. James Grant Group will not set up its own production studio, but rather encourage its clients to set up their own indies to house the intellectual property rights to these formats.
andnbsp;
Group director Russ Lindsay said; "We are delighted Holly has chosen to join us, she has a wealth of experience and a detailed knowledge of this sector from her 12 years with William Morris. This appointment represents a natural evolution for our business as we seek to enhance the service we provide to our clients.andnbsp; In Holly we have a leading industry expert in this field."]]></description>
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<title>Discovery Int. appoints content boss as COO departs - 11/03/10</title>

<link>http://www.tbivision.com//article.php?category=&amp; article=1421</link>
<pubDate>11/03/10</pubDate> 

<description><![CDATA[Discovery Networks International COO Sahar Elhabashi is leaving the company. DNI said that her position will not be replaced.
 As COO, Elhabashi handled the day-to-day running of the international business. Her departure comes soon after that of Greg Ricca, whose departure as president and CEO of international was announced last December. Like Ricca, Elhabashi joined Discovery in 2007. Both were former MTV executives.
 Separately, DNI announced that Luis Silberwasser is taking the newly created role of international head of content. He will report to Mark Hollinger, DNI's recently installed president and CEO. Discovery said it has created the role to "accelerate DNI's ratings success across the company's global channel portfolio of over 100 networks".
 Silberwasser has been at Discovery since 1998 and is currently senior VP of the content group for Discovery Networks Latin America/US Hispanic and general manager US Hispanic Networks.]]></description>
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<title>Save Kids TV says it deplores GMTV's kids cutbacks - 10/03/10</title>

<link>http://www.tbivision.com//article.php?category=&amp; article=1416</link>
<pubDate>10/03/10</pubDate> 

<description><![CDATA[Save Kids TV says ITV should reconsider its decision to scale back kids programming on UK breakfast time broadcaster GMTV.
andnbsp;
UK free-to-air broadcaster ITV, which recently bought Disney out of GMTV, said last week it is reviewing kids output at GMTV and scaling back. The departure of GMTV COO Clive Crouch was announced at the same time.
andnbsp;
Industry group SKTV said that it deplored the ITV andnbsp;decision.
andnbsp;
Anna Home, former head of BBC children's programmes and now chair of the Save Kids' campaign said: "At a time when considerable concern is being voiced about the scarcity of UK children's content on TV outside the BBC, SKTV deplores ITVs decision to decommission the live elements of GMTV's children's output which will now consist only of cartoons."
andnbsp;
She added: "SKTV calls on the new management of ITV to re consider the whole of its children's output and in the light of its improved financial position, to increase rather than decrease its commissions in this genre."]]></description>
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<title>John de Mol's Talpa continues expansion drive - 10/03/10</title>

<link>http://www.tbivision.com//article.php?category=&amp; article=1417</link>
<pubDate>10/03/10</pubDate> 

<description><![CDATA[Talpa, the formats company owned by John de Mol, has inked another joint venture agreement, this time teaming with Portuguese producer CBV. The company has been on an aggressive expansion drive in recent months, creating JVs designed to get Talpa programming into the US and various European countries.
andnbsp;
In Portugal Talpa has formed a 50-50 JV with CBV, which has exclusive rights to develop Talpa fornats in the country. It will also service certain Portuguese-speaking African countries.
andnbsp;
The JV will be run by Piet-Hein Bakker, one of the trio of former Endemol execs who set up CBV in late 2007. He said: "CBV has the domestic production capacity and in-house creativity, Talpa is developing a great catalogue of up to date formats in many different genres attracting a vast audience."
andnbsp;
John de Mol said: "Portugal is not the biggest market in the world, but it is open and competitive. That's why I feel very pleased to start this partnership with CBV and the team of Piet-Hein Bakker who we've known for so many years."
andnbsp;
Talpa recently struck a similar agreement with Warner Bros' Warner Horizon aimed at getting Talpa shows into the US. It also inked a deal with Shine, which is taking its formats into France. At MIPCOM last year Talpa announced plans to launch in Germany, France, Italy and Spain, the UK and US. The company's current roster of formats includes The Golden Cage, Dating in the Dark, Viper's Nest and I Love My Country.]]></description>
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<title>Warner Bros inks volume deal with Spain's La Sexta - 10/03/10</title>

<link>http://www.tbivision.com//article.php?category=&amp; article=1418</link>
<pubDate>10/03/10</pubDate> 

<description><![CDATA[Warner Bros has agreed a volume deal with free-to-air Spanish broadcaster La Sexta. The Spanish broadcaster will get a range of new and library TV and movie content.
andnbsp;
It will get Warner Bros' new series from the upcoming 2010-2011 US TV season and new feature films from next year.
andnbsp;
Warners and La Sexta have had a relationship since the Spanish network launched in 2006 and its programming line-up included The Sopranos. It has also enjoyed success with Warners' scripted series including The Mentalist.
andnbsp;
The new agreement extends the relationship between the two to include theatrical and made-for-DVD titles.
andnbsp;
Josh Berger, president, Warner Bros Spain said: "With the new television channels to be created after the analogue TV blackout, this is an excellent opportunity for our TV shows and feature films, both for those new and also for those included in our collection, to reach a wider audience."]]></description>
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<title>Bravo aquires Starz's Spartacus - 09/03/10</title>

<link>http://www.tbivision.com//article.php?category=&amp; article=1413</link>
<pubDate>09/03/10</pubDate> 

<description><![CDATA[UK pay TV broadcaster Bravo has acquired Starz Media's gladiator drama Spartacus: Blood and Sand.
andnbsp;
The Virgin Media-owned network has picked up the first two seasons of the 13x1hour series and will air it this summer. The show, which is produced by Spiderman and Evil Dead director Sam Raimi as well as Xena: Warrior Princess producer Rob Talpert and Buffy The Vampire Slayer producer Steven DeKnight, premiered on US cable network Starz in January and was commissioned for a second season before its TX date.
andnbsp;
Spartacus: Blood and Sand stars Xena: Warrior Princess Lucy Lawless and Andy Whitfield centering around the bloody world of gladiators in the Roman Empire.
andnbsp;
The show, which is distributed globally by Starz's international sales arm, has already been sold to broadcasters including Canada's TMN, Australia's Seven Network and Holland's RTL5.
andnbsp;
The series has seen a gradual increase in ratings since its launch; its debut received 659,000 viewers with its viewership reaching over 1 million viewers for its sixth episode, a success given the channel's limited reach.]]></description>
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<title>NHNZ to launch in Abu Dhabi as part of Fox, twofour54 deal - 09/03/10</title>

<link>http://www.tbivision.com//article.php?category=&amp; article=1414</link>
<pubDate>09/03/10</pubDate> 

<description><![CDATA[Fox-owned documentary producer NHNZ is set to launch a production studio in the Middle East as part of a wide-ranging deal between Fox International Channels and Abu Dhabi-based media company twofour54.
andnbsp;
The production company, which is based in New Zealand, will open the office in Abu Dhabi and will team with twofour54 on the production of a number of high-end high definition and 3D documentaries.
andnbsp;
The news was announced at the Abu Dhabi Media Summit and is part of an arrangement that will also see Fox International Channels base its global online advertising network business .Fox in the region as well as moving the operational base for its Middle Eastern focused pay TV channels from Hong Kong to Abu Dhabi.
andnbsp;
The deal follows last year's launch of National Geographic Abu Dhabi, a free-to-air factual entertainment network andnbsp;that covers the entire region with programming dubbed in Arabic.
andnbsp;
The deal between Fox and twofour54 also comes weeks after Fox owner News Corp announced a deal to acquire a 9% stake for US$70 million in broadcaster Rotana Group and further signals the media company's plans to expand in the region.]]></description>
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