All News articles – Page 5355
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News
Russia's ORT tipped for $85m government loan
The struggle for control of Russia's largest broadcaster ORT entered another round this week as the state-controlled Vneshekonombank said it was considering handing out an $85m loan to the financially strapped channel. The statement came at the same time as the bank admitted that it would probably not be able ...
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RTL shuffles execs to sister channel Vox
RTL executives Ladya van Eeden and Marko Langer will replace Joerg Schuette as programming chief at RTL sister channel Vox. Van Eeden will be responsible for the fiction division and Schuette will supervise news. Van Eeden, who is currently programming co-ordinator at RTL, will make the transition on August 1 ...
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Stream's Minoli fired for Telepiu meeting
Giovanni Minoli has been dismissed from his position as general director of Italian pay-TV platform Stream in an unexpected move that casts further doubts over the future of the beleaguered News Corp and Telecom Italia-owned company.Stream CEO Lucia Morselli said in a letter that she had taken her decision after ...
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Berezovsky unites empire; Gusinsky property seized
Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky has unveiled plans to unite his media interests into a single holding with Igor Shabdurasulov, a former Kremlin deputy of staff, at the helm.Berevovsky cited Shabdurasulov's availability as a reason for the move and added that, while it would benefit the business side of his media, ...
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Hong Kong's eSun buys stake in Media Asia
Ambitious Hong Kong producer and distributor Media Asia has found itself a major new backer in eSun Holdings, formerly Lai Sun Hotels International.The companies said that eSun will pay $12.8m (HK$100m) for 25% of Media Asia - with 20% coming from existing management and a further 5% made up of ...
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Carlton names new boss as UK TV battle begins
Thanksgiving records collapsed over the five-day holiday weekend led by the phenomenal holdover success of Universal Pictures' Dr Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas. The family adventure took an estimated $73.8m from Wednesday to Sunday - about $52.4m over the Friday to Sunday period - bringing its ten day total ...
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Brussels approves Vizzavi portal, with conditions
The European Commission's competition division has given its blessing to the establishment of Vizzavi, the multi-platform Internet portal launched last month by Vivendi and mobile phone group Vodafone Airtouch. However, approval came with conditions.The success of the portal is key to the proposed merger between Canal Plus, Vivendi and Seagram ...
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TV movies by Ross, Frears hoard major Emmy nods
British directors Benjamin Ross and Stephen Frears, cross-dressing comedian Eddie Izzard and the BBC's acclaimed documentary series Walking With Dinosaurs are among the European talents and productions to pick up nominations for the 52nd primetime Emmy awards.Ross received a best director nod in the miniseries or TV movie category for ...
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Kinowelt pacts with Keitel's Goatsingers
Germany's Kinowelt Medien has struck a first-look development deal with Harvey Keitel's New York-based production outfit Goatsingers. The two-year pact is geared at producing arthouse pictures starring Keitel.The deal was unveiled today (July 20) by Charles Finch, who represents Goatsingers through UK-based Artists Independent Network (AIN). Finch and Kinowelt co-chief ...
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German authorities clear News Corp's TM3 deal
Germany's antitrust commission KEK has approved News Corp's acquisition of the remaining 34% of Munich-based broadcaster TM3 which it does not already own. The Bavarian authorities still have to clear the deal.News Corp is reportedly planning to sell at least part of TM3 to the Kirch Group which is considering ...
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Pentafour grabs internet rights to Indian movies
Indian computer graphics company, Pentamedia Graphics, has acquired internet broadcast rights to about 2,000 Indian movies.The movies, acquired through a combination of revenue sharing and cash payment, will be webcast on Pentafour's entertainment consumer portal Num TV. The portal, aimed at expat Indians in North America and Europe, relaunched as ...
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La Paglia joins Wenham in Connolly's Bank
Australian actor Anthony La Paglia will join David Wenham in the cast of producer Robert Connolly's writing and directing debut The Bank, which is in production in Melbourne throughout August and September. Axiom Films is handling world sales on the thriller, which is set in the world of high finance. ...
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Vivendi, Seagram file merger for EC approval
Vivendi, Canal Plus and Seagram have filed their planned merger for European Commission (EC) approval, an EC spokesperson confirmed today.The EC has until August 21 to clear the deal or launch an in-depth four-month investigation. The EC previously insisted that it has exclusive powers to review the merger, in response ...
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Spinal Tap adds UK date to global tour
Rob Reiner's legendary rock mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap is staging a UK come-back tour.The spoof story of spandex-clad heavy rock band Spinal Tap, infamous for such "classics" as Big Bottom, Bitch School and Stonehenge, will get a theatrical re-release in October through independent UK distributor Optimum Releasing.Optimum has struck ...
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UK's article 27 partners with idealive
Soho-based internet distribution outfit article27 has formed a development partnership with idealive, a US-based on-line company which provides information to potential investors.Article27, which has previously struck on-line distribution pacts with UK cultural body the British Film Institute and Italian broadcaster RAI, is to provide idealive with market intelligence and information ...
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Toei invents digital colour technique for cartoons
Toei Animation, Hitachi and Toei Chemical Industry have jointly developed a technique for digitally colouring black-and-white animated films - a first for the Japanese film industry. Toei Animation researchers have successfully used the technique to colour part of an episode of Wolf Boy Ken, a 1963 Toei cartoon series.After cleaning ...
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San Sebastian confirms Galan exit
The San Sebastian International Film Festival today confirmed the departure of festival director Diego Galan (Screendaily, July 18). He will be replaced in 2001 by Mikel Olaciregui, currently sub-director of the event.Galan, who steps down for personal reasons, has helmed the festival since 1995 and between 1985 and 1989. Between ...
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Love's A Bitch continues Mexican wave
Love's A Bitch (Amores Perros), the second title by fledgling film company Estudio Mexico Films (EMF), has triumphed against the odds at Mexico's box office. Despite its length (two and half hours) and the fact that it was pitted against Mission: Impossible 2, the Cannes 2000 Critic's Week awardee earned ...
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CASE STUDY - Famous
Actor-turned director Griffin Dunne found himself juggling both roles with mockumentary Famous, his first venture into digital film-making. John Hazelton reports on the making of the film.Summer 1999New York-based independent producer Dolly Hall (High Art, The Incredible True Adventures Of Two Girls In Love) is sent a script by actress ...
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Sega partners with Omega, Suncent
Sega Enterprises has struck a partnership with Japanese production outfits Omega Pictures and Suncent CinemaWorks under which it will promote and distribute their movies at its newly-opened Net@ chain of game arcades in Tokyo."This is only the start of our plans with Omega and other film companies for integrating films ...