ITV

Tag: Fox

  • 24: Live Another Day debuts on AXN starting 9 May

    24: Live Another Day debuts on AXN starting 9 May

    MUMBAI: It was first reported in May last year that American broadcast network, Fox, was considering a 24 limited event television series based on a concept by EMMY Award winning writer, Howard Gordon. Not long after, Gordon had issued a statement saying, “Jack Bauer has always been an exciting, thrilling character, who has evolved through the years, and this new and exciting event series format is perfect to tell the next chapter of his story and continue to reflect how the world is changing. Fans can be rest assured that the Jack they know and love will be back.” 

     

     Indeed, the much-loved lead protagonist of 24 will be back with 24: Live Another Day, scheduled to premiere on AXN on 9 May, within the same week as its US telecast.

     

     AXN India programming head Arpit Mankar, confirmed the development. Having aired all eight seasons of 24 as well as the television film, 24: Redemption in India, the channel had acquired the rights to broadcast 24: Live Another Day and anymore 24 series if produced early on this year.

     

    Coming to the limited series, it is set and shot in London and follows the exploits of agent Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), four years after the events of season 8, as he once again risks life and limb to thwart a global disaster.  

     

     Tracking the federal fugitive on the run are CIA head Steve Harris played by Benjamin Bratt (Law & Order); resourceful but ruthless CIA agent Kate Morgan played by Yvonne Strahovski (Chuck, Dexter); smart and sophisticated CIA computer techie Jordan Reed played by Giles Matthey (Jobs); and sharp but arrogant field operative Erik Ritter played by Gbenga Akinnagbe (The Wire).

     

    Calling the shots is James Heller played by William Devane (The Dark Knight Rises), now president of the United States. Heller is flanked by his chief of staff, Mark Boudreau, played by Tate Donovan (Damages, Hostages), who is married to Heller’s daughter and Bauer’s former flame, Audrey, played by Kim Raver (Revolution).

     

     Meanwhile, Bauer’s confidante, Chloe O’Brian, played by Mary Lynn Rajskub (Firewall), is now working underground with high-profile hacker Adrian Cross played by Michael Wincott (The Crow). 

     

     The guest stars on 24: Live Another Day include Golden Globe Award winner Judy Davis (Life with Judy Garland), Golden Globe Award nominee Stephen Fry (Alice in Wonderland, Bones) and Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones). Bauer has just a day to prevent an unthinkable terrorist attack that could change the world forever…

     

    What are AXN India’s expectations from the limited series? “We expect the show to get new viewers. There are two reasons for this: a) 24 now is a more recognised brand in India, thanks to the local version. b) We expect the younger generation of today to tune-in to the show since the 24 franchise launched way back in 2001 when they were too young to consume TV. We are targeting both the 24 loyalists who we believe are in the 25-44 yrs TG as well as the 15-24 yrs TG who would possibly be watching it for the first time. We expect both males and females to tune in. They will surely want to watch this cult show,” said Mankar.

     

    What about advertising? A 30-second advertisement spot for 24: Live Another Day sells for half a million US dollars in the US. So, “This credibility definitely helps from a sponsorship point of view as brands are assured of loyal viewership, in terms of both reach and time spent. Our sales team has had a very encouraging response from key categories and brands. AXN’s marketing campaign will be 360 degree covering TV, online, OOH and print,” shoots Mankar.

     

    Starting 31 March, Monday to Thursday at 9:00 pm, AXN India will air all episodes of season eight of 24 as a catch-up marathon before 24: Live Another Day makes its adrenaline-packed debut on 9 May.

  • FremantleMedia acquires stake in 495 Productions

    FremantleMedia acquires stake in 495 Productions

    MUMBAI: FremantleMedia, has signed a deal to acquire a majority stake in 495 Productions, a US-based production company, known for its cutting edge reality programming.  Under the terms of the deal, FremantleMedia will have a 75 per cent holding with the opportunity to acquire the remaining shareholding in the future.

     

    This acquisition adds another strong and prolific US production companies into FremantleMedia’s increasingly diverse group of North American holdings, alongside its subsidiary FremantleMedia North America (“FMNA”) and previous acquisition Original Productions.

     

    Founded in 2006 by SallyAnn Salsano, one of the preeminent US entertainment producers and creators, 495 Productions is a formidable hit factory specialising in riveting unscripted character-driven reality series with colourful personalities at their heart.  The company developed and produced the pop-culture phenomenon series Jersey Shore, which went on to become MTV’s highest-rated show in its history and a global hit with multiple spin-offs including Snooki and JWOWW, The Show with Vinny and The Pauly D Project.

     

    Other ground-breaking productions include Spike TV’s Tattoo Nightmares, which FremantleMedia already distributes internationally, and Repo Games; MTV’s dating show Friendzone and the daytime syndicated talk show The Real for which SallyAnn Salsano is the executive producer. 

     

    The company also produces recent ratings hits Jerks with Cameras for MTV, Tattoos After Dark for Oxygen and Party Down South, which has quickly established itself as CMT’s highest-rated series ever.

     

    FremantleMedia  CEO Cécile Frot-Coutaz in a press statement said, “495 Productions is undeniably one of the US’s leading reality production companies with a unique approach to formatted character-driven reality shows which have proved compelling TV in the US and around the world.  This deal will allow us to expand our share of the valuable US cable market and will complement and diversify our existing portfolio of content and clients.  Together, our ambition is to continue to grow 495 Productions in the US and to broaden its global footprint even further through our extensive distribution and production network.”

     

    FremantleMedia North America CEO Thom Beers added: “SallyAnn is a brilliant leader, an unstoppable creative force and one of the most successful producers in the entertainment industry. Since founding the business 2006, she and the talented creative team at 495 Productions have built the company into a powerhouse responsible for some of the most watched and talked about programming on TV at the moment. This is a key strategic acquisition for FMNA which, with both Original Productions and 495 Productions in the fold, now commands a best-in-class production slate across all family, male and female demos, and for network, cable and syndication platforms.”

     

    495 Productions has enjoyed great success in the US with shows airing across major broadcast and cable networks including a long-standing relationship with MTV and other Viacom channels such as Spike, CMT and VH1 and more recently with Fox, TLC, SyFy, Oxygen, National Geographic, TV Guide, A&E, Lifetime and History Channel.  Additionally, the company has recently signed a multi-year deal with Warners’ Telepictures Productions for SallyAnn’s services as executive producer on new shows for syndicated television, the first of which, The Real, launches this fall.  The company’s production team and the casts of its shows have been nominated for Daytime Emmy Awards and People’s Choice Awards and have won Teen Choice Awards for two years in a row.

     

    495 Productions founder SallyAnn Salsano commented: “This is a huge moment for me and the entire team at 495. That said, the decision of who to partner with and where to make my new home was easy because of my long term relationships with both Cecile and Thom. They know me, they understand how I run my business and they appreciate the way I produce my shows. I started this company with nothing in 2006 and this is proof that if you love what you do, work your ass off and want it bad enough someone will notice and it will pay off.”

  • First full-length trailer for ’24: Live Another Day’ released

    First full-length trailer for ’24: Live Another Day’ released

    MUMBAI: Jack Bauer returns from his sabbatical, and makes his way through the streets of London, as seen in the recently released full-length trailer of 24: Live Another Day by FOX. Along with the trailer, FOX has also released the first official key art for the 12-part television event.

    The high-octane saga reunites the Emmy Award-winning team of executive producer Howard Gordon; star and executive producer Kiefer Sutherland; co-creator Robert Cochran; executive producers, Evan Katz, Manny Coto, David Fury, Brian Grazer and director Jon Cassar. It also will retain the real-time, pulse-pounding, fast-paced format with split screens and interweaving storylines.

    Set and shot in London, the suspenseful event series once again will follow the exploits of the heroic agent Jack Bauer (Sutherland). Four years ago, Jack was a fugitive from justice. Now in exile, he nevertheless is willing to risk his life and freedom to avert yet another global disaster.

    Tracking Jack are CIA head Steve Harris played by Benjamin Bratt (Law & Order); CIA agent Kate Morgan played by Yvonne Strahovski (Chuck, Dexter), who is both resourceful and ruthless; Jordan Reed played by Giles Matthey (Jobs), a smart and sophisticated CIA computer tech; and Erik Ritter played by Gbenga Akinnagbe (The Wire), a sharp, strong and arrogant field operative.

    Calling the shots is James Heller played by William Devane (The Dark Knight Rises), now President of the United States. Heller is flanked by his Chief of Staff Mark Boudreau played by Tate Donovan (Damages, Hostages), who is married to Heller’s daughter – Jack’s former flame, Audrey played by Kim Raver (Revolution). Meanwhile, a hardened Chloe O’Brian played by Mary Lynn Rajskub (Firewall), Bauer’s CTU confidante, is now working underground with high-profile hacker Adrian Cross played by Michael Wincott (The Crow).

    Click here to watch the trailer

    Guest stars on 24: Live Another Day include Golden Globe Award winner Judy Davis (Life with Judy Garland) and Golden Globe Award nominee Stephen Fry (Alice in Wonderland, Bones). The harrowing day will have Jack attempting to thwart an unthinkable terrorist attack that could change the world forever. 

  • FOX renews four shows, cancels one

    FOX renews four shows, cancels one

    MUMBAI: Early this year, at the Television Critics Association Press Tour, officials at FOX Broadcasting announced that the network had decided to pass the traditional pilot season henceforth. At the tour, FOX had announced that it would order series all year long, which is clearly evident from the series order of 24: Live Another Day, M. Night Shyamalan’s Wayward Pines and the Batman-prequel Gotham, all ordered to series before the traditional pilot season schedule.

     

    Usually during the pilot seasons, the fate of the older programmes is announced. Last April, the ground-breaking teen phenomenon Glee was renewed for two seasons. However, later creator Ryan Murphy said that the sixth season would be its last. In October, Sleepy Hollow became the first new series to be renewed for a second season during its 13 episode first season run. In January this year, FOX renewed its veteran forensic procedural Bones for a tenth season.

     

    Last week, FOX announced renewals for four of its series – the Critics Choice Television Award winning New Girl and The Mindy Project, along with the Golden Globe Award winning comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine and the Kevin Bacon-starrer The Following. Along with renewals come cancellations too, in order to balance the weekly schedule. As announced on Monday, 10 March, the first series to be passed on is the quirky comedy Raising Hope. The acclaimed comedy will bow out with an hour-long farewell with the season four finale now airing as the series finale next month.

     

    In India, The Mindy Project and Brooklyn Nine-Nine airs on Comedy Central, while Glee, Bones and New Girl air on STAR World. Sleepy Hollow will be finishing its first season run on STAR World Premiere and The Following completed its first season run on Zee Cafe.

  • President Barack Obama to introduce series premiere of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey

    President Barack Obama to introduce series premiere of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey

    MUMBAI: US president Barack Obama will introduce the highly anticipated series premiere episode of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey airing this Sunday, 9 March on 10 Fox Networks Group channels, including Fox and National Geographic Channel. In the video message, which leads into the premiere episode, Obama invites a new generation to embrace the spirit of discovery and inspires viewers to explore new frontiers and imagine limitless possibilities for the future.

     

    The series premiere episode of Cosmos will air simultaneously across multiple US Fox networks, including Fox, National Geographic Channel, FX, FXX, FXM, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Mundo and Fox Life. This first multi-network launch event for Fox Networks Group, along with the series debut on Fox International Channels and National Geographic Channels International, will make Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey available on 220 channels in 181 countries, with an overall footprint of more than half a billion homes.

     

    Last Friday, 28 Febraury, Fox Broadcasting Company (Fox) and National Geographic Channel (NGC) hosted a special preview of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey at the White House as part of the first-ever White House Student Film Festival. The festival celebrated the Obama administration’s commitment to using technology in the classroom. As part of the event, president Obama delivered remarks detailing progress toward his ConnectED goal of connecting 99 per cent of students to next-generation broadband and wireless technology within five years.

     

    Additionally, National Geographic Channel hosted 100 teachers in Washington, D.C. this week -winners of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) – for a sneak peek at Cosmos. The educators represented all 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico. President Obama hosted them on Monday night for a reception honouring their commitment to and excellence in education.

     

    After the cross-network premiere event, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey will continue its epic 13-episode run, airing Sundays at 8:00 pm from 16 March on National Geographic Channel India.

     

    More than three decades after the debut of Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, Carl Sagan’s stunning and iconic exploration of the universe as revealed by science, Seth MacFarlane (Ted, Family Guy) has teamed with Sagan’s original creative collaborators, writer/executive producer Ann Druyan and co-writer, astronomer Steven Soter to conceive the 13-part series that will serve as a successor to the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning original series.

     

    Carl Sagan’s original series Cosmos was first broadcast in 1980 and remains the most globally successful American public television series of all time. Seen by more than 750 million viewers, Cosmos has remained popular throughout the world.

     

    As with the legendary original series, the new Cosmos is the saga of how we discovered the laws of nature and found our coordinates in space and time. The series brings to life never-before-told stories of the heroic quest for knowledge, transporting viewers to new worlds and across the universe for a vision of the cosmos on the grandest – and the smallest – scale. The series invents new modes of scientific storytelling to reveal the grandeur of the universe and re-invent celebrated elements of the original series, including the Cosmic Calendar and the Ship of the Imagination. The most profound scientific concepts are presented with stunning clarity, uniting skepticism and wonder, and weaving rigorous science with the emotional and spiritual into a transcendent experience.

     

    Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey is produced by Cosmos Studios, the Ithaca, NY-based company Ann Druyan co-founded in 2000, and Fuzzy Door Productions, MacFarlane’s company. Druyan and Steven Soter are the series’ writers. Druyan, MacFarlane, Cosmos Studios President Mitchell Cannold and Brannon Braga (the Star Trek franchise, 24) are the executive producers of the series with Jason Clark (Ted, 42).

  • Ben Affleck reveals the first look of ‘Gone Girl’

    Ben Affleck reveals the first look of ‘Gone Girl’

    It was around this time two years ago that we saw the release of David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and while we haven’t seen a feature film from him since, the drought will end in 2014.

     

    The director is currently in the midst of crafting an adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s acclaimed novel Gone Girl, and while the film will be released late next year, the studio, 20th Century Fox has unveiled a first look at the movie via their official twitter account.

     

    Being adapted by Flynn herself – making her screen writing debut – the thriller centers on the relationship between Nick and Amy, a married couple who have hit a rough patch. Moving to a small town in Missouri from New York after Nick loses his job, Amy is miserable away from the big city, but things become scary when she disappears on their fifth wedding anniversary. To make things even worse, Nick is the prime suspect and there is plenty of evidence against him. Ben Affleck stars as Nick, while Rosamund Pike is playing Amy.

     

    The cast also includes Neil Patrick Harris, Missi Pyle, Tyler Perry, Patrig Fugit, Casey Wilson, Scott McNairy, Kim Dickens and Emily Ratajkowski. Reese Witherspoon and Bruna Papandrea, along with Leslie Dixon, are producing the movie.

  • Desperate Housewives alum Marcia Cross marks her return to TV

    Desperate Housewives alum Marcia Cross marks her return to TV

    MUMBAI: After a year and a half of bidding adieu to Wisteria Lane, Desperate Housewives alum Marcia Cross is returning to television in the form of the female lead role in Fox’s new TV comedy, Fatrick. Fatrick centers on Patrick, a 30-something man who realises that his life isn’t quite where it should be. The former fat kid is forced to face the damage caused by years of being “Fatrick,” a chubby little kid just trying to survive.

     

    The comedy will take place in the past – showing “Fatrick” at school and at home – as well as in the present. In the series, Marcia Cross would play Patrick’s mother Arlene, a fit, energetic nutritionist who is rigid and intense when it comes to her family’s eating habits. Proud of her skinny daughter, she’s not quite as keen on her “plumper” offspring. Arlene means well when it comes to her family, but she has a little filter problem.

     

    This marks the biggest half-hour commitment for EMMY and Golden Globe nominee Cross, who had largely done drama series before her turn in the comedic one-hour Desperate Housewives. She took a break after the end of the ABC series to spend time with her twin girls, born while Cross was on the show, and is now making her return to TV.

     

    “Fatrick” is written by Nahnatchka Khan (Don’t Trust the B – in Apt 23) and Corey Nickerson. It will mark the TV directing debut for Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, who won the 2012 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the George Clooney starring film The Descendants. The show was ordered last month. Desperate Housewives has been a ratings hit in India for Star World over the past few years.

  • FIC hires Indian distribution veteran Rahul Sood

    FIC hires Indian distribution veteran Rahul Sood

    MUMBAI: Former NDTV distribution head Rahul Sood is moving base to Singapore. The highly experienced distribution executive will be joining the 21st Century Fox owned Fox International Channels (FIC) as vice-president of affiliate sales and commercial come 9 December.

     

    He will be responsible for FIC’s sales and channel development of new markets across the region, with emphasis on newly emerging areas.  Rahul will also be developing FIC’s sales strategy for commercial establishments such as hotels and other out-of-home opportunities.

     

    In addition, Rahul will focus on the international distribution beyond APAC and the Middle East of FIC’s suite of Chinese channels, which includes SCM, the network’s powerhouse Chinese movies channel.  This emphasis underscores FIC’s commitment to the ambitious goal of promoting Chinese-language content beyond Asia and taking the SCM brand global.

     

    Rahul brings over 17 years of leadership experience in various roles in Asia’s TV industry. Prior to joining FIC, he spent 10 years as the head of affiliate sales and network distribution at NDTV, one of India’s leading news networks. Prior to that he held the role of executive director of affiliate sales for south Asia at Turner Broadcasting and was part of the initial core team which established the New Delhi office.

     

    Says Rahul: “It’s a real honour to join a network with such a strong commitment to building great partnerships with affiliates.  I look forward to expanding FIC’s distribution network and working closely with existing and new platform partners to build the business together.”

     

    He will be reporting in to executive vice-president of affiliate partnerships and syndication for Asia Pacific and the middle east.

     

    Giving company to Rahul as a new joinee at FIC is Helena Coe who hopped on board at FIC on 18 November as vice-president of syndication based out of Hong Kong.

     

    Helena has been given the task of working with channel and business development teams, as well as country managers to establish region-wide syndication policies and drive the distribution of FIC Asia’s sports, factual and entertainment content rights to multiple platforms.  She joins FIC from sports rights marketing agency Sportfive International, where she held the position of managing director of the Hong Kong office, leading activities for Sportfive’s TV rights in Hong Kong, Japan and Korea, and digital rights across Asia Pacific. Helena was also previously vice president of digital media, Asia Pacific at IMG Media.

     

     “Both Helena and Rahul bring a great wealth of experience to FOX International Channels and we are very pleased to welcome them on board,” said Alex Lambeek.  “Their appointments serve to demonstrate our commitment to work closely with our affiliate partners to further FIC’s presence across Asia Pacific and the middle east.”

  • Fox rechristens its music building in honour of composer Lionel Newman

    Fox rechristens its music building in honour of composer Lionel Newman

    MUMBAI: Steven Spielberg, John Williams and Jim Gianopulos were among the big names attending the dedication of the Lionel Newman Music Building. The building on the Fox lot in Century City has been renamed in honour of the late composer, conductor, pianist and longtime head of Fox’s music department, whose tenure with the studio spanned nearly half a century and more than 200 films, including his Oscar-winning score for 1969’s Hello Dolly!

     

    He also earned 10 other Oscar nominations for such films as Doctor Doolittle and There’s No Business Like Show Business. He also worked on numerous TV series including Batman and M*A*S*H.

     

    Spielberg talked about meeting Newman during the scoring of Jaws, and five-time Oscar winner Williams spun tales of Newman’s colorful career at the studio.

  • ATA to be telecast on Star World and Channel V

    ATA to be telecast on Star World and Channel V

    MUMBAI: The eighteenth Asian Television Awards (ATA) that will be held on 5 December in Singapore will be telecast on Fox’s Asian channels Star World and Channel V. The awards ceremony will air across five feeds between the two channels and will reach audiences in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam.

     

    ATA this year has attracted nearly 1250 entries from 14 countries across Asia-Pacific. 189 channels from 98 broadcasters, as well as 65 independent production companies, will compete in 38 categories under the three groups of ‘programming’, performance’, and ‘technical & creative’. The top four categories are ‘terrestrial channel of the year’, ‘cable and satellite channel of the year’, ‘terrestrial broadcaster of the year’ and ‘cable and satellite channel of the year’.

     

    This year, 22 Indian programmes have been selected for it with a majority from the TV18 group and the NDTV group.

     

    This will be ATA’s first ever regional broadcast on Fox’s International Channels. It will also be telecast on Singapore’s terrestrial broadcaster MediaCorp TV.