Advanced Television

Production

New rules to protect ‘distinctively British’ PSBs

Hours before he was sacked in a reshuffle, former Media Minister John Whittingdale announced new measures which he said will protect the creation of British TV, and help public service broadcasters (PSBs) compete with the US streaming giants in the digital age. In a keynote speech to the Royal Television Society Cambridge Convention, Whittingdale, a […]

September 16, 2021By Colin Mann

News UK to launch TalkTV

Rupert Murdoch’s News UK is to launch a new channel, TalkTV, in early 2022. The channel will be streamed live and made widely available on all platforms including linear TV and OTT with content available across social media as well as News UK’s own inventory of websites and apps. According to News UK, everyone in […]

September 16, 2021By Colin Mann

MP Committee probes Channel 4 privatisation

The Scottish Affairs Committee of the UK House of Commons will be holding its second evidence session examining public broadcasting in Scotland, hearing from Channel 4 and independent production companies the channel works with in Scotland, on September 20th. The session examining Channel 4’s performance comes shortly after the network announced its best-ever annual results. […]

September 16, 2021By Colin Mann

ITV Studios, Tencent partner for A Year on Planet Earth

ITV Studios has unveiled Tencent Video as their latest international co-production partner for the natural history series A Year on Planet Earth, originally commissioned by ITV in the UK and produced by Plimsoll Productions, in association with ITV Studios. Tencent Video, the online video streaming platform in China, has joined ITV in boarding the series, […]

September 16, 2021

Prime Video reasserts commitment to UK productions

Amazon Studios Head of European Originals, Georgia Brown, and Head of UK Originals, Dan Grabiner, took part in an address on September 14th during which they recommitted Prime Video’s long-term ambitions for making original television in the UK. As part of a Q&A, hosted by comedian Katherine Ryan (due to star in Amazon Original Series Backstage […]

September 14, 2021

Hulu, Disney+ order more Only Murders in the Building

Only Murders in the Building, the hit original comedy series starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez has been picked up for a second season. The show streams on Hulu in the US, Star+ in Latin America, and on Disney+ in all other territories, including Europe. “Everyone in our amazing ‘Building’ worked with such […]

September 14, 2021By Nik Roseveare

Netflix creative partnership with Winger

Netflix has announced a multi-year partnership with the creator of critically acclaimed mini-series Unorthodox, Anna Winger, and her production company Airlift Productions. The overall deal will see Winger and Airlift Productions develop and produce international drama series for Netflix. The Airlift Productions team expands with the new addition of Camille McCurry as partner. Based in […]

September 13, 2021

Studies: Pandemic hits UK production income

UK TV production industry trade body Pact has published two new reports which show the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the UK independent production sector. The findings of the annual Pact Census and a specially commissioned COVID Long-Term Impact Study raise particular concerns in the context of the Government’s proposal to privatise Channel 4, […]

September 8, 2021

Sky Studios appoints Mavahalli to lead Drama team

Sky Studios, Sky’s Europe-wide development, production and commissioning arm for Sky Original comedy and drama, has announced that Preethi Mavahalli has been appointed to the role of Creative Director, Drama, with a remit to develop and produce a slate of original drama from Sky Studios in the UK. Having developed and Executive Produced a range […]

September 8, 2021

Edge Innovation Center from ESPN

ESPN has launched the ESPN Edge Innovation Center, aiming to collaborate with other leaders in technology to explore how new technologies such as 5G, Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) and mobile edge computing (MEC) can enable new ways for fans to experience sports. The ESPN Edge Innovation Center will include key partnerships in the categories […]

September 6, 2021