• NBCUniversal does first format deal in China

    Submitted by ITV Production on Apr 16
    indiantelevision.com Team

    MUMBAI: NBCUniversal International today announced that the format of its trivia competition show ?Still Standing? has been sold to Chinese broadcaster, Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation. This is NBCUniversal?s first format sale to China.

    NBCUniversal director of format sales liaison Linfield Ng said, ?Still Standing?s mix of classic trivia game, physical comedy and competition make it a great fit for Chinese audiences. We are excited to partner with Jiangsu Satellite, the number one satellite provider across China with more than 130 million viewers.?

    Jiangsu will be the first in Asia to debut this format. Jiangsu vice chief president Wang Pei Jie said, ?Still Standing is a perfect fit for our entertainment lineup because it brings together the elements of trivia and physical competition in a brand-new way. We are delighted to be the first in Asia to debut this fun and exciting format on our channel."

    Added Armoza formats CEO Avi Armoza, "We are excited that our cooperation with NBCUniversal has enabled Still Standing to travel to an emerging market like China, where we are confident that it will join the format?s international legacy of success."

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    Avi Armoza
  • Ten Golf in licensing deal with NBCUniversal

    Submitted by ITV Production on Mar 03
    indiantelevision.com Team

    MUMBAI: Ten Golf, India?s first golf dedicated channel, has entered into a licensing agreement with NBCUniversal International Television Distribution for the exclusive basic cable rights in India to a slate of original programming from the Golf Channel in the U.S.

    Under the terms of the agreement, Ten Golf will be showcasing 400 hours of golf programming, including series and news, showcased as a Golf Channel branded block. The channel will offer golf-related titles across a range of genres: Entertainment, News & Analysis, Instruction and Travel.

    In addition to the Golf Channel branded block of programming from NBCUniversal, Ten Golf will also air a collection of popular golf events, including PGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship, Ryder Cup, European Tour, and WGC HSBC Champions Tournament.

    Commenting on the deal, Ten Sports CEO Atul Pande said, "We are proud to announce this landmark content deal with NBCUniversal. This deal underscores our commitment to deliver high quality golf programming for our viewers in India and sub continent. It will offer unmatched and pioneering golf entertainment to audiences in India and across Indian subcontinent."

    Pande also said that the channel was in talks with golf rights holders to bring further quality golf properties for viewers and was working with different stakeholders to create a strong platform.

    "We are entering into content deals with leading golf rights holders in the near term, providing the viewers with the very best of top quality Golf Content and a viewing experience like never before. Ten Golf is working with all the major stakeholders in golf, including events partners, sponsors and golf courses and golf clubs across the sub-continent to create a formidable golf platform," Pande added.

    Ten Golf had entered into a three-year partnership with PGTI to televise the Indian Tour. It also has the rights for Asian Tour, European Tour, US PGA Championship, Ryder Cup and LET, among others.

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    Atul Pande
  • NBCUniversal plans headquarter in California

    Submitted by ITV Production on Jan 05
    indiantelevision.com Team

    MUMBAI: NBCUniversal has unveiled its plans to build a state-of-the-art headquarter for its West Coast television operations.

    The 150,000-square-foot facility, scheduled to be operational in 2013, will be built on the Universal Studios, California and include newsrooms, production studios and a distribution center.

    The facility replaces earlier plans by Thomas Properties Group Inc. to build a new broadcast center.

    ?The L.A. bureau is so vitally important to this news division,? NBC News president Steve Capus said in the statement. ?The increased coordination with our KNBC family will ensure that we are positioned smartly and strategically for the future.?

    Consolidating newsrooms for NBC News, Telemundo, KNBC Channel 4 and Spanish-language KVEA Channel 52 will allow the operations to share resources and collaborate better.

    It may be recollected that NBCUniversal had abandoned its plans for an expansive new facility two weeks ago.

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    NBCUniversal
  • Universal Channel bolsters content in UK

    Submitted by ITV Production on Sep 13
    indiantelevision.com Team

    MUMBAI: US media conglomerate NBCUniversal‘s channel, Universal Channel, has bolstered its portfolio of content in the UK with the acquisition of two new US dramas ‘Harry‘s Law? and ‘Law and Order: Los Angeles‘.

    Harry‘s Law is the latest US hit from Emmy Award winner David E. Kelley, the writer and producer of Boston Legal and Ally McBeal, and stars Oscar winner Kathy Bates ‘Misery‘ in the eponymous lead role as Harriet ‘Harry? Korn.

    Launched in the US on NBC in January 2011 with over 11 million viewers, Harry?s Law ranked as NBC?s most-watched scripted series of the 2010?11 broadcast season and was subsequently renewed for a second season in May.

     
    Universal Channel has acquired the exclusive UK rights to both seasons of Harry?s Law from Warner Bros. International Television Distribution.

    Law and Order; Los Angeles is the latest spin-off of Dick Wolf‘s successful Law and Order franchise, originated for NBC in the US. Universal Channel, which is already the UK premiere home of ‘Law and Order: Special Victims Unit‘, has licensed the exclusive basic television rights in the UK to the West Coast-based series from NBCUniversal International Television Distribution.

    Universal Networks International UK MD Laurence Dawkin-Jones said, "Having moved higher up the EPG in February, our priority is to capitalise on Universal Channel‘s new prominence by bringing viewers first run, exclusive content they will not find elsewhere. Harry?s Law and ‘Law and Order: Los Angeles? are terrific, high-quality titles which we are thrilled to claim Universal Channel is UK home to"

    ‘Law & Order: Los Angeles‘ made its UK debut on Universal Channel on 12 September, while Harry‘s Law will launch on 10 October.

    ‘Harry?s Law‘ is a quirky, light-touch legal drama which follows Harriet Korn a curmudgeonly ex-patent lawyer who makes a fresh start after she is abruptly fired from her blue chip law firm. Setting up in the characteristically unconventional location of an abandoned shoe store, Harriet forms her own criminal law practice, Harry?s Law and Fine Shoes, with a team of unlikely kindred spirits. David E. Kelley
    created the series and serves as executive producer with Bill D‘Elia.

    Law & Order: Los Angeles sets the classic crime-then-punishment storytelling of the landmark original series against the distinctive backdrop of LA. The drama follows the progression of cases as they are investigated by the LAPD‘s elite Robbery Homicide Division and prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys.

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    David E. Kelley
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