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Category: News Headline

  • UFO Moviez aims to reach 500 screens by Diwali; to make international foray

    UFO Moviez aims to reach 500 screens by Diwali; to make international foray

    MUMBAI: United Film Organizers (UFO) Moviez a pioneer in digital cinema and with 400 theatres across 14 cities in India having its installations, has plans to increase the figure to 500 by Diwali.

    UFO moviez has tied up with producer Sajid Nadiadwala for his forthcoming film Jaan-e-mann for brand building promotion and to create awareness about digital cinema.

    “Our association with Jaan-e-mann is a joint promotional and brand building exercise. UFO will showcase the film in its 400 theatres across India and Jaan-e-mann will carry the branding of UFO in their print and optical media,” said UFO Moviez vice chairman and director Raaja Kanwar at a media briefing yesterday.

    UFO executive director and CEO Sanjay Gaikwad added, “By the time the film releases in Diwali, we will achieve our target of 500 theatres. And as per UFOs’ roll out plan we are to achieve a target of 1000 theatres by March 2007 and 2000 by March 2008.”

    With an objective to revolutionise the distribution and exhibition system in cinema, UFO was officially launched in November 2005 and within less than a years time, plans a foray into the international market.

    This initiative has been taken by UFO after acquiring the rights to Mpeg 4 Digital Cinema Solutions from DG2L Technologies Pvt Ltd.

    “The response that we have got from India is helping us to take this leap in the international market, say Middle East and European nations, where Bollywood films are popular. And with Mpeg 4 digital cinema solutions, the task will become easy. This technology will provide greater flexibility, effieciency and cost savings,” added Gaikwad.

    Digital screening of films through the technology offered by UFO not only reduces the cost of prints but also helps the distributors and exhibitors, who have to pay a nominal amount for acquiring the print of the film and showing it in theatres.

    “The distributer pays Rs 250 for a single print and the exhibitor pays Rs 275 for the same as compared to the Analog print for which they have to spend something between Rs 16,000 – Rs 17,000. Moreover, the server in the UFO system installed at the theatre can store upto 15 films, which gives flexibility to the exhibitors to play different films at different times of the day,” said Gaikwad.

    This technology is proving beneficial for the distributors and exhibitors in B and C cities where films would hit the theaters two-three weeks after its release, which would in return hamper the box office collection. But with digital cinema installations in these cities, audience are getting to see the films in the very first week of its release.

    UFO Moviez had recently announced that it will invest Rs 1.5 billion in the next three years to digitise 1,000 movie halls of Chennai-based Pyramid Saimira Theatres Ltd. As per a tie-up agreement between the two companies, UFO Moviez would provide end-to-end digital cinema solutions for these 1,000 theatres.

  • Cartoon Network inks deal with Tata Indicom for VoD service

    Cartoon Network inks deal with Tata Indicom for VoD service

    MUMBAI: Cartoon Network, kid’s entertainment channel, has signed its first video on demand (VoD) deal in the country with VSNL. The agreement will enable Tata Indicom Broadband subscribers to watch Cartoon Network toons on their PC.

    In attempting to give viewers a 360 degree entertainment experience, Tata Indicom Broadband will offer subscribers 40 episodes of Cartoon Network’s most popular and iconic toon stars including Johnny Bravo, The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory, Ed, Edd n Eddy, Courage -the Cowardly Dog, Camp Lazlo, Code Name Kids Next Door, Samurai Jack, etc.

    The content will be available both in Hindi and English across over 48 cities in India, including all metros such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata.
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    Turner International India Pvt. Ltd. VP distribution and business operations (India and South Asia), Siddharth Jain said, “With technology evolving at a rapid pace, we are moving towards a digital world where entertainment will be consumed at the convenience of Generation M. As the Industry leader in the kids’ entertainment genre, it is imperative that we extend our compelling content to as many platforms available.

    “This deal to offer video on demand with VSNL is a step in that direction and is a pioneering initiative for Cartoon Network and the kids’ genre. All of these areas will become even more important going forward as ‘convergence’ becomes a reality, and our core audience of kids and young adults – as well as advertisers – come to expect our unique properties and characters to be available on all platforms and at all times. Cartoon Network is an immersive experience for our fans, and this deal adds yet another dimension to the number one kids’ channel of India – Cartoon Network.”

    VSNL vice president content and applications, broadband and retail business Mukul Sood said, “This first of its kind tie-up between Cartoon Network and VSNL will create an innovative entertainment experience to our broadband subscribers. This partnership represents the convergence of vision and strengths between VSNL, India’s leading telecommunication and Internet services company and Cartoon Network, India’s number one kids’ channel. Tata Indicom Broadband subscribers can now look forward to a roller coaster ride of exciting animation video content for their kids and themselves.”

  • Meetings with broadcasters, agencies for great cricket auction begin; ICC cash registers set to ring

    Meetings with broadcasters, agencies for great cricket auction begin; ICC cash registers set to ring

    The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday began meetings with broadcasters and agencies in Dubai, marking the latest stage of its sale of media and sponsorship rights for ICC events from late 2007 to 2015.

    The ICC’s team of negotiators include former President Ehsan Mani, who played a key role in securing the current agreement with the News Corp owned Global Cricket Corporation (GCC) through News International Limited.

    That agreement, which began in 2000 and ends with the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in the West Indies next March and April, includes two ICC Cricket World Cups and three ICC Champions Trophy tournaments. The GCC had paid out $550 million to secure the rights after a fierce bidding war with Subhash Chandra’s Zee Telefilms. At the time of bidding the GCC was a 50:50 JV between News Corp and World Sport Nimbus (itself a 50:50 JV between Harish Thawani’s Nimbus and the UK-headquartered World Sport Group). News Corp subsequently bought out WSN’s stake in the JV.

    The first question that comes to mind of course is what are the numbers that will be thrown up in this round of bidding? Before doing that, it is worth examining how much more in terms of events are available for purchase. The number of World Cups (two) remain the same. The “Extraa Innings” are a possible one Champions Trophy (there were three in the previous package while this one has at least three and maybe four tourneys), two 20/20 World Championships and two Women’s Cricket World Cups in 2009 (Australia) and 2013 (India).

    Additionally, there are also the Cricket World Cup qualifiers and four ICC U/19 Cricket World Cups included in the eight-year timeframe.

    All told, there are a total of 18 ICC tournaments, the big ones being the two World Cups, in Asia (2011) and Australia / New Zealand (2015) respectively, and a minimum of three (possibly four) Champions Trophy tournaments.

    That is as far as the events themselves are concerned. On the revenue front, there will be a huge difference on the subscription side because of direct-to-home (DTH) and the rollout of conditional access system (CAS), as well as increasing broadband penetration.

    Sony had factored in some inflows from DTH when it made its bid for the current property, but the delay in the launch of DTH services put paid to that. For Sony, income from its ICC properties has been advertisement-led (to the tune of 65-75 per cent) rather than subscription driven.

    It would be safe to assume that this would get directly reversed in terms of revenue break-up between advertising and subscriptions by the time the next World Cup comes around in 2011. Subscription revenue will come in principally from digital cable (all cable-penetrated areas should be CAS-delivered by then) and DTH. Broadband will also offer significant revenue opportunities by then.

    Now, coming to the bidding. Even if the number of events were the same, and looking at the valuations that would have been obtained back in 2000, this would have been a higher value proposition because one of them is being held in India and the other has a clear time zone advantage for Indians (Australia / New Zealand as opposed to 2007’s edition in the West Indies). So if we were to look at a like to like comparison, the base value in 2000 would have at the very least been the $ 650 million that Zee had bid then for the same rights.

    The value of this property is essentially linked to what is the bid that the India part of it was worth. Sony paid $ 208 million for the C&S rights and the terrestrial rights that national broadcaster Doordarshan took would be another $ 47 million tallying up to $ 255 million. To find the base value of the India part of the rights using the above formula would imply a 25 per cent mark up or $ 320 million as being what they were worth then.

    What are the toppings to that? One Champions Trophy (if four are held) and two 20/20 events. Let’s say $ 400 million is what this would have been worth to Sony in 2000. Today we believe it will go for around $ 1.2 billion. Assuming that the India part will take up around 70 per cent of the total value of the ICC rights, we’re looking at bidding anywhere between $ 1.7 to $ 2 billion as being the range in which the punts will be made.

    Who has that kind of money? Star, Sony, Zee and maybe Anil Ambani’s ADAG if it decides to throw its hat in the ring. One player that is almost certain not to be in this particular game is Harish Thawani’s Nimbus. He has been taken out of the equation by the News Corp distribution deal. So could it end up being a fight between Sony-Ten Sports, News Corp-Nimbus and Zee Sports if Reliance doesn’t enter the fray? Quite possible.

    And if we were the betting sort our gut punt would be on Sony again walking away with this one. It is the more hungry and needs it more than News Corp. And being the incumbent will give it a clear advantage over an at least as hungry Zee.

  • Animal Planet travels around the world to explore fauna and flaura

    Animal Planet travels around the world to explore fauna and flaura

    MUMBAI: Animal Planet will take viewers on a wild voyage around the world through its series Around The World In 14 Weeks. Viewers will experience the widest variety of flaura and fauna across continents as they travel from Indian subcontinent to Sahara, Europe, Africa, and America.

    The 14 episode show airs every Tuesday at 9 pm with a repeat every Saturday at 8 pm.

    One episode is called Fighting Bears Of The Punjab Airing. Bear baiting is big business in rural Pakistan, despite being illegal for over a century, but changes are now afoot by the World Society for the Protection of Animals to confiscate all bears used in baiting events. But this is no easy task, as the major promoters of these events are rich rural landowners who wield enormous power in Pakistan. This programme traces the history of the Qalandars and the Black Bears, as well as the dramatic events as WSPA workers, aided by the Pakistani Army, attempt to rescue bears and relocate them to a safety.

    Dream Team: Prince Of Camels provides a behind-the-scenes look at the magical world of a young Bedouin in love with camel racing. Sixteen years old Rahma grew up in a large family who, not so long ago regularly traveled hundreds of miles on camel-back. Although all-terrain vehicles have replaced the traditional mount, the camel remains a sacred beast for Rahma.

    In Ireland – Sculpted Isle the channel reveals Ireland’s dramatic nature through iconic landmarks and natural history. From the basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway to the rugged beauty of the Blarney stone, from the polished limestone of the Burren to the lush, green pastures of County Kildare, each place has a story and resonance through history. Different landscape, different wildlife, different cultural past and a different face of modern life, come together to tell a single story – Ireland’s story.

    In Lost Crocodiles Of The Pharaohs viewers can join the search for the elusive crocodiles of the ancient River Nile. Despite their revered status in ancient Egypt, the crocodiles of the upper Nile were hunted into extinction by the 1800’s and the Pharaoh’s crocodiles were lost forever. Or so it was thought, until reports emerged of sightings of crocodiles in unexpected locations on the fringe of the Sahara desert, a small lake in Mali and a cave in Chad. Animal Planet explores if these are the direct descendents of the Pharaoh’s crocodiles? How could they survive in the desert?

    Lost Elephants Of Timbuktu goes into the heart of the Sahara Desert. A herd of elephants emerge from behind a wind-swept sand dune. They are completely isolated from other African elephants and trudge 700 miles each year to find food and water. This progamme tracks them to uncharted lands and reveals their relationship with the Tuareg, a nomadic people who have shared the elephants’ migration route for centuries.

    In Search Of The Giant Anaconda looks at the Green anaconda. It is the heaviest bodied snake in the world. It can grow six times longer than the average man, weigh eight times as much, and stay underwater for up to ten minutes at a time. Austin Steven, South African photographer and adventurer, travels to Amazon in search of the wild anaconda in the water and attempts to bring it to land. It is Steve’s most perilous photographic assignment so far.

  • Viacom revises employment agreement with Redstone

    Viacom revises employment agreement with Redstone

    MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Viacom’s board of directors has announced that it has entered into a revised employment agreement with its Executive Chairman Sumner M Redstone.

    The agreement reduces cash salary and bonuses effective 1 January, 2007 and immediately directly links the majority of Redstone’s compensation to superior shareholder returns.

    Redstone and the Compensation Committee of the Viacom Board are extending the equity driven approach to compensation and incentives adopted by Viacom in its recently announced agreements with Viacom president and CEO Philippe P Dauman and Viacom’s senior executive VP and chief administrative officer Thomas E Dooley.

    Redstone said, “As both a major shareholder and as the executive chairman of the company, I have long been in favour of the pay-for-performance model, which I believe is good for shareholders and good for the company. I want to commend the Compensation Committee for not only listening to our stockholders, but for their leadership, creativity and discipline in creating this new shareholder-friendly compensation structure.”

    Under the terms of the new agreement, beginning in 2007, Redstone’s salary will be reduced to $1 million per year (from current $1.75 million), and deferred compensation, presently $1.3 million per year, will be eliminated. His target cash bonus under Viacom’s short-term incentive plan will be reduced from $6.1 million to $3.5 million per year.

    Redstone will receive an annual award of stock options having a grant-date value of $3 million. He will also receive an annual award of performance share units (PSU’s) with a grant-date target value of $3 million.

  • Mipcom announces nominations for annual Mobile TV Screenings and Awards

    Mipcom announces nominations for annual Mobile TV Screenings and Awards

    MUMBAI: The global television trade event Mipcom has announced the nominations for the second annual Mobile TV Screenings & Awards. 23 nominations and 10 special mentions will be presented during MIPCOM and the winners will be announced in a special screenings and awards Ceremony to be held in the Palais des Festivals, Cannes on 11 October, 2006.

    Sponsored by Orange, Ericsson and the Korean Broadcasting Commission, the Mobile Screenings & Awards 2006 brought in a record number of 290 entries from 34 countries. This marks a 30 per cent increase in submissions from 2005.

    For the second year running the competition recognises innovation and creativity in new mobile entertainment concepts and formats especially related to audiovisual TV and Film content.

    Reed Midem’s Television Division director Paul Johnson says, “Mobile TV represents a growing opportunity for the audiovisual content industry. Mipcom is proud to take an active role in promoting the development of made-for-mobile content and facilitating commercial transactions on a global level for both TV and film.”

    The Pre-selection Jury head and president of London based Any Screen Productions Ferhan Cook says, “The competition has attracted an even wider variety of genres, and new approaches from both existing well known entertainment companies as well as new ones.

    “It is clear that the world’s creative community is hard at work, innovating new formats for the mobile medium.”

    The 23 nominated entries are to be screened and judged by the Mobile TV Awards Jury at Mipcom from each of the following five categories: Best Original Made-for-Mobile Film or Video Content; Best Repurposed Content from Existing Film or TV Property; Best Made-for-Mobile TV Channel; Best Format for Interactive Mobile TV and Best Mobile format for User-Generated Content.

    In addition to these five categories, there will also be The Orange Grand Prize for Innovation and a special recognition mention for the Best Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) projects.

    The Mobile TV Screenings & Awards are a part of the Mobile TV focus on 11 October 2006. Included in the programme are a number of conferences focusing on the distribution, marketing and creation of audiovisual mobile content; including keynote addresses by Orange CEO Sanjiv Ahuja and ESPN president, and ABC Sports co-Chairman George Bodenheimer.

    The nominees in various categories are:

  • Nat Geo Wild to launch on Singapore pay TV platform StarHub

    Nat Geo Wild to launch on Singapore pay TV platform StarHub

    MUMBAI: StarHub, which claims to be Singapore’s largest pay-TV operator, will launch five more channels on 2 October 2006. They are National Geographic Wild, Sky News, Channel [V] International, Fox Crime and Boomerang.

    They will be added to the Family Plus digital group at no extra cost.

    National Geographic Wild will air documentaries entirely focussed on the animal kingdom and the worlds they inhabit. From the most remote environments, the forbidding depths of our oceans, to the protected parks in our backyards.

    National Geographic Wild uses cinematography and spellbinding storytelling to take viewers on unforgettable journeys into the wild world and to experience the best, most intimate encounters with wildlife ever seen on television.

    Channel [V] International features music videos and singers, reality and infotainment shows. Viewers can catch VJs such as Sarah, Maya, Dominic and Joey on this channel. It has shows such as Remote Control, Popparazzi, Arcade and The Ticket.

    Fox Crime is dedicated to crime, investigation and mystery. It is the ultimate channel where viewers will find all shadows of crime and investigation stories.

    Sky News is a news channel from the UK. Boomerang features animated entertainment, drawing from content of Hanna-Barbera, Warner Brothers and MGM. Boomerang will not only provide another choice for kids content under the Cartoon Network banner, but also nostalgic moments for parents who wish to catch the legends of cartoon history such as Flintstones, Looney Tunes, Scooby Doo, Wacky Races, The Jetsons and Top Cat.

    StarHub VP, cable TV services Patrick Lim says, “StarHub is constantly working towards providing better products and services, and creating more value to our customers, and we are very excited with all that we have in store for our cable TV customers, in particular those on the digital platform.

    “We hope that this addition of five quality channels to Family Plus, coupled with other new offerings to be rolled out on 2 October, will encourage those who have yet to enjoy StarHub Digital Cable to sign up and join the fun, and also provide more incentive to our analogue customers to make the switch to the digital platform so that they too can enjoy these great benefits.”

  • Buena Vista Games creates video games around Disney characters

    Buena Vista Games creates video games around Disney characters

    MUMBAI: Buena Vista Games, Inc. (BVG), the interactive entertainment affiliate of The Walt Disney Company, has announced that The Cheetah Girls, Phil of the Future, and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: Tipton Trouble are now available.

    The Cheetah Girls and Phil of the Future are available for the Game Boy Advance. The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: Tipton Trouble is available for the Nintendo DS. All three games are rated E for Everyone by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).

    “Kids can take their favorite Disney Channel characters anywhere this fall with new adventures from The Cheetah Girls, Phil of the Future and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, says Buena Vista Games marketing VP Craig Relyea. “With the recent success of The Cheetah Girls 2 Disney Channel Original Movie, we are particularly excited to offer fans more ways to interact with the performers’ story.”

    In Phil of the Future, developed by Handheld Games Corp. for the Game Boy Advance, players help their favorite characters from the popular Disney Channel series save a town overrun with the mischievous pets from the future -– The Blahs. As Phil, Keeley or Curtis, players collect and assemble more than 20 futuristic gadgets to solve puzzles, overcome obstacles and capture the blahs to save the day. With several mini-games and unlockable features, Phil of the Future offers players hours of fun, states an official release.

    Join The Cheetah Girls as they dance and sing their way to a talent competition in Spain, where the top prize is a record contract. Players take on the role of each of the four Cheetah Girls –- Galleria, Chanel, Aquanetta and Dorinda, plus Galleria’s pedigree pooch, Toto. To prepare for the big gig in Barcelona, players create their own tunes in the music studio, choreograph dance moves and coordinate Cheeta-licious outfits. The game also features mini jobs for each girl — flip ribs on the grill with Aqua; teach dance with Dorinda; make music with Galleria and Toto at home or coordinate outfits at a high-end fashion store with Chanel, the release adds.

    The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: Tipton Trouble is an action platform game from developer A2M, based on the Disney Channel’s popular TV show, “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. The game enables players to enter the world of Zack and Cody, 12-year-old twins who live with their mother in one of Boston’s swankiest hotels. As in the TV show, the twins attempt to save themselves from 14 outrageous situations by jumping, crawling, climbing, running and racing to Conquer enemy forces. Players can race through corridors on Zack’s skateboard, shoot various objects like water balloons, bubble gum and cream pies from Cody’s amazing vacuum, and unlock mini-games that feature two-player wireless action.

  • Google opens video marketplace

    Google opens video marketplace

    MUMBAI: Live from the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Google Inc. announced the planned opening of the Google Video store, the first open video marketplace enabling consumers to buy and rent a wide range of video content from a major television network, a professional sports league, cable programmers, independent producers and film makers.

    This fast growing collection of videos will include prime-time and classic hits from CBS, a full slate of NBA games from this season and outstanding performances from the past, music videos from Sony BMG, Charlie Rose interviews as well as news and historical content from ITN and new titles being added everyday, informs an official release.

    “Google Video will let you watch lots of high quality video on the web for the first time. You can search and browse, and we make it fast and easy for you to watch,” said Google’s co-founder and president, Products Larry Page. “For video producers and anyone with a video camera, Google Video will give you a platform to publish to the entire Google audience in a fast, free and seamless way.”

    Available soon, people who visit the Google Video homepage at http://video.google.com will be able to browse listings of video by category from the store or search Google’s entire collection of videos by simply entering keywords into the search box, the release adds.

    “This is yet another exciting platform in which CBS can leverage its market-leading content to a whole new audience,” said CBS Corporation president & CEO Leslie Moonves. “Making our programming accessible to the Google Video store guarantees our shows significant new exposure to millions of users who are likely to access this web service and who may not be traditional TV viewers. As the industry’s most prolific generator of popular TV content, it’s only natural that CBS would partner with Google on this service, which is destined to become one of the web’s most popular destinations.”

    CBS’s current primetime hits will include CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, NCIS, Survivor and The Amazing Race. Library classics will include I Love Lucy, The Brady Bunch, The Twilight Zone, MacGyver, Have Gun Will Travel, Mannix, My Three Sons, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager. All CBS programs will be presented commercial free.

    Google Video will also feature NBA games from this season and some of the greatest individual performances in NBA history. Marking the first time NBA fans can purchase full NBA contests on the Web, each NBA game for the rest of this season, including the NBA Playoffs and The Finals, will be available to fans in its entirety 24 hours after the contest’s conclusion. In addition, the highest scoring games of several of the NBA’s best players will be available including Kobe Bryant’s 62 point performance in three quarters vs. Dallas last month.

    Additional highlights of Google’s video collection will include:
    Music videos from Sony BMG. The line-up of launch videos includes offerings from some of SONY BMG’s global superstar artists, including Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, Kenny Chesney, Destiny’s Child, Kelly Clarkson, Alicia Keys, Lil’ Flip, Jessica Simpson, Shakira, System of a Down, Switchfoot, Usher, and many more.

    Feature Length Independent Films from Greencine.com. Including works by legendary Polish director Andrzej Wajda (Promised Land), documentary filmmaker Ted Bonnitt (Mau Mau Sex Sex) and independent actor/director Caveh Zahedi (In the Bathtub of the World).

    Historic, news and educational footage from ITN. This material ranges from coverage of key events in 2005 such as the Pope John Paul II’s death, back to a recording of the 1896 coronation of Tsar Nicholas II – one of the earliest known pieces of moving imagery.

    Charlie Rose interviews. Including interviews with Henry Kissinger, Oliver Stone, Quentin Tarantino, Martha Stewart, Martin Scorsese, Harrison Ford, Dan Rather, Charles M. Schulz, Steve Jobs, Jay Leno, Tom Brokaw, and others.

    Cartoon classics from Classic Media. Featuring many of the world’s most famous animated series such as Felix the Cat, Casper The Friendly Ghost, and Rocky and Bullwinkle.

    Children’s educational programming from CLEARVUE & SVE. Educational video topics vary from teen education on tattoos to explanations about the workings of the human brain.

    Clips from Getty Images’ Archive Films Collection. A diverse collection of short clips that capture personalities, moments and eras throughout history – selected from vintage newsreels and educational film, as well as contemporary news and events from around the world.

    There will be thousands of titles for sale in the Google Video store with more titles added everyday. The list of content producers will also include a broad range of entertainment and educational partners including among others, BlueHighways TV, CareTALK, Fashion TV, here! TV, HDNet, HilariousDownloads.com, Image Entertainment, iWatchNow.com, Kantola Productions, MediaZone.com, Plum TV, PorchLight Entertainment, SOFA Entertainment, Teen Kids, Trinity Broadcasting Network, WGBH, Wheels TV, and Wilderness Film India Ltd.

  • Discovery sinks $500K into fund for new programming

    Discovery sinks $500K into fund for new programming

    MUMBAI: Silver Spring-based Discovery Channel US and Discovery Networks International are shelling out big dollars for producers to come up with new, cutting edge programming.

     

    The two have launched a $500,000 Global Landmark Development Fund, seeking groundbreaking programming ideas from producers around the world.

     

    “This is an exciting challenge for producers to bring us ideas as ambitious and innovative as ‘Planet Earth’ and ‘North America’,” said Luis Silberwasser, executive vice president and chief content officer, referring to two of its most successful programming series.

     

    “By working on a global scale, we have a unique opportunity to enlist the world’s best production companies to make their most ambitious ideas a reality.”

     

    ‘North America’, with episodes covering various geographical regions of the continent, is Discovery’s first independently-produced natural history series.