Former Paramount TV exec Robert Friedman has joined Spike TV as svp, programming, and will be responsible for all program planning, strategic acquisitions, media initiatives and original series launch projects for Spike TV.
TripleTake Media has optioned the screenplay PEN DRAGON from first-time screenwriter Christopher Canole for film, television and comic book/graphic novel publishing. PEN DRAGON is the story of Leo, a teenager who obtains Leonardo Da Vinci's actual drawing set from an old illustrator by the name of Merle Lin that brings to real life anything that the pens draw.
Hema Govindan has been appointed head of marketing & communications for Walt Disney Television International (India), a division of The Walt Disney Company (India) Pvt. Ltd. in Mumbai. She will be responsible for putting in place an integrated marketing communications strategy and driving key research initiatives for Disneys television business in India, including its proposed pay TV channel operations as well as Disney branded programming blocks on mass entertainment channels.
TUN (The U Network), a new national cable network catering toward university students will begin broadcasting eigoMANGAs television program, ANIME MIX on its network starting Sept. 6, 2004.
Look out PBS, Nick Jr. and Playhouse Disney, Cartoon Network and the Warner Bros. Television Group are putting together a new weekday morning franchise of original and acquired television targeted for preschoolers to premiere on Cartoon Network in spring 2005. The unnamed joint venture between WB and CN will mark both companies' first major production foray into the preschool market.
The National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) will hold its second annual "Television Producers' Boot Camp -- Workshops & Pitch Pit." The "Boot Camp" will serve as a full run-through of the television development and production process, providing attendees with a unique view into industry trends through a series of workshops, demonstrations and networking events. The event also will allow attendees to formally pitch their program ideas to development executives from major talent agencies, networks, as well as production and distribution companies.
Pauline Bohm joins NBC Universal Television Distribution in the newly created post of vp, international marketing. Bohm will work closely with Dan Weiss, evp, marketing, to whom she report, developing marketing strategies for international markets serviced by NBC Universal International TV Dist., which includes a client-base in more than 200 countries.
David L. Simon has been named executive consultant at BFC Berliner Film Companie. Simon will act as the companys U.S. liaison, facilitating the development of new projects and overseeing the expansion of the core business between BFC and the production community, studios and broadcasters. He will also be responsible for creating new relationships for BFC with the business and creative communities worldwide.
Former Disney, DreamWorks and FOX TV exec David L. Simon joins the Noodlesoup Productions Inc., board of directors to held guide the privately held, full-service animation studio based in New York City.
Fox Filmed Ent. upped Peter Levinsohn to president, Digital Media and Worldwide Pay Television. In this new role, Levinsohn will be responsible for managing digital media strategy for Fox, including leading the effort to establish robust content protection measures in the digital media marketplace; identifying content distribution opportunities; pursuing long-term strategic initiatives with major technology players; and developing opportunities to maximize the value of film and television product in emerging digital platforms. In this capacity he will work closely with the Fox Ent.
The Banff Television Festival is Canada's premier international event for program makers and content creators in television and new media. Hundreds of television professionals from around the world will take part in this annual event, which celebrates excellence in international television programming and explores the issues, challenges, creative and business opportunities in the industry.
The Southwest Arts, Film & Television Convention is the Southwest region
NBC Universal, recently formed through the combination of NBC and Vivendi Universal Ent. puts Bob Wright at the top of the organizational structure as chairman/ceo, while retaining his position of vice chairman/exec officer of General Electric, NBC Universal's parent company.
TOKYOPOP Inc., one the leading U.S. publishers of Japanese-inspired graphic novels has enlisted former Craven-Maddalena president of production René M. García as vp, film & television. This move is a natural progression for the company as it plans to produce and package the fresh narrative energy of manga for Hollywood. García, along with exec director of development Steve Galloway, will help lead that charge.
Doug Miller has been appointed evp/md of Walt Disney International (Asia-Pacific), as well as svp/md of Walt Disney Television International (Asia Pacific), overseeing all Disney television activities in the region. Miller will continue to lead television development for the company in Asia and is based in Hong Kong.
Longtime senior television exec Ed Wilson, who recently left his position as president of NBC Enterprises, has joined the FOX Broadcasting Co. as president of the FOX Television Network. Wilson will be responsible for supervising all affiliate relations, advertising sales, legal, broadcast standards and Fox Ent. Group (FEG) integrated marketing operations for the network. He will also work closely with FEG on business development opportunities for the network.
The Walt Disney Co. has made some sweeping changes this week in the top executive ranks at the ABC network. Anne Sweeney and George Bodenheimer have been named co-chairs of Disney's Media Networks unit. Sweeney will be adding the ABC Television Network, which includes ABC Entertainment, ABC Daytime, ABC News and Touchstone Television to her portfolio of responsibilities, while Bodenheimer remains head of ESPN Inc. and ABC Sports.
Dean Valentine, former UPN president/ceo and president of Walt Disney Television, has partnered with prominent entertainment execs Richard Cohen and Nicolas Van Dyk to form First Family Entertainment in Los Angeles. The new company will develop and produce niche-oriented, direct-to-DVD/video programming for family audiences. The new venture already has inked a home video distribution deal with MGM.
RUGRATS composer and artist Mark Mothersbaugh will receive the 2004 Richard Kirk Award for Outstanding Career Achievement at the BMI Film & TV Awards to be held May 12, 2004 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. The black-tie event will be hosted by BMI president/ceo Frances W. Preston and will honor the composers of the past year's top-grossing films and the top-rated primetime network television series and cable programs.
Cal Art students swept the traditional animation category at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation's 25th Annual College Television Awards Competition. Cal Arts' David Derrick, ByoungJik Lee and Chris Choy took first, second and third respectively for their toon work. Ringling School of Art & Design students did well in the non-traditional animation category taking second and third with first place going to Craig Van Dyke of Brigham Young.
Shuffle Inc., an international television commercial production company with offices in Venice, California, and Tokyo, Japan, has launched Shuffle USA as a new operating unit.
INTERNATIONAL FILM & TELEVISION FINANCE SUMMITMARCH 22
Alliance Atlantis rolls into MIP-TV 2004 with three animated series. The company will be located at Stand G3.14 and can be contacted by calling 33-4-92-99-8348.
POKO (32x30) is a stop-motion animation series. The light-hearted, pre-school series follows a fun-loving three-year-old, who is just beginning to discover the world around him with his dog, Minus, and his stuffed toy, Mr. Murphy.
MarVista Entertainment, a newly formed distribution and production company, will make its first visit to MIP-TV in 2004. It will offer family-oriented entertainment, ranging from live-action television series, new and original TV movies to digitally re-mastered classics available for broadcast and DVD distribution.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has promoted Carolyn Stalins to svp, international television distribution, overseeing distribution in the important French and U.K. markets for MGM's features and TV series and NBC Studios' TV series, as well as the catalogues of MGM/UA, Orion, Polygram and NBC.
