ITV

Tag: Universal Television

  • Peter Murrieta signs deal with Universal Television

    Peter Murrieta signs deal with Universal Television

    Popular American producer and writer Peter Murrieta has signed a first-look deal with Universal Television. According to a report published in Variety, Murrieta, will develop exclusive and original content for broadcast on cable, and streaming platforms.

    “We couldn’t be happier to be working with Peter in this new way. Besides being a hilarious writer and an all-around great guy, he has the amazing track record of championing and supporting fellow LatinX voices and talent. We look forward to all the great projects we get to collaborate with him on,” said Universal Television, executive vice president of comedy development Jim Donnelly. 

    Murrieta is best known for his work on the Disney Channel sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place, in which he served as head writer and executive producer in the first three seasons. He was previously an executive producer in Mr Iglesias, a comedy series on Netflix. Murrieta had also co-written the television movie Feliz Navidad which stars Mario Lopez and Paulina Chavez in the lead roles. 

    Murrieta is currently busy with the work of IMDB TV show Primo. He is also developing an animated project for Amazon and a feature film for DreamWorks Animation. 

  • Netflix hires Indian origin TV exec Bela Bajaria as content VP

    Netflix hires Indian origin TV exec Bela Bajaria as content VP

    MUMBAI: Even as Netflix has been strengthening its Asia team by hiring locals with Asian and international experience, it has also been bolstering the talent at its HQ.  Last week, the leading global video streaming site, announced that it had roped in former Universal Television (NBCUniversal’s TV unit) president Bela Bajaria as vice-president of content. She is slated to join Netflix from 1 November, replacing Sean Carey, who is leaving the company.

    The London-born-but-raised-in-east-Africa-and-settled-in-Los-Angeles Bajaria is of Indian origin, At Universal Television, Bajaria supervised creative programming for the studio and producing such hit series as Master of None and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt for Netflix; Brooklyn Nine-Nine for FOX; The Mindy Project for FOX and Hulu; Superstore for NBC and Bates Motel for A&E, among several others. She developed Gypsy, starring Naomi Watts, for Netflix which will premiere in 2017 as well as Pure Genius for CBS and The Good Place for NBC, which are on the network’s 2016 fall schedules.

    Bajaria has in the past been ranked amongst the top  TV executives in the US when she headed Universal Television.  She left the production outfit  when she had a run-in with executives at NBC Studios for not buying enough content from her company, even though Fox and CBS were.

    At Netflix, Bajaria has been mandated with leading the team focused on TV and film licensing from major U. studios, as well co-production relationships with major US networks. She will also oversee a new team developing original unscripted programs for Netflix.

    Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and chief content officer Ted Sarandos have said time and time again that the company wants to keep showcase the best in class engaging content for its subscribers and a budget of $5 billion has been kept aside for this year to acquire and create content.

    “Bela is a great creative television executive with broad experience and deep industry relationships,” said Sarandos. “Having worked closely with her on Master of None and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, we know we have found the perfect executive to lead this new effort.”

    “I am looking forward to joining Netflix, an innovative company that supports creative vision and fosters risk-taking. Having worked closely with Ted, Cindy and the team, I know they are great creative partners and care deeply about the experience of talent, their partners and their members,” said Bela Bajaria. “They are a dynamic group and I’m looking forward to continue building new partnerships at Netflix with amazing talent and studio and network colleagues.”

  • Netflix hires Indian origin TV exec Bela Bajaria as content VP

    Netflix hires Indian origin TV exec Bela Bajaria as content VP

    MUMBAI: Even as Netflix has been strengthening its Asia team by hiring locals with Asian and international experience, it has also been bolstering the talent at its HQ.  Last week, the leading global video streaming site, announced that it had roped in former Universal Television (NBCUniversal’s TV unit) president Bela Bajaria as vice-president of content. She is slated to join Netflix from 1 November, replacing Sean Carey, who is leaving the company.

    The London-born-but-raised-in-east-Africa-and-settled-in-Los-Angeles Bajaria is of Indian origin, At Universal Television, Bajaria supervised creative programming for the studio and producing such hit series as Master of None and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt for Netflix; Brooklyn Nine-Nine for FOX; The Mindy Project for FOX and Hulu; Superstore for NBC and Bates Motel for A&E, among several others. She developed Gypsy, starring Naomi Watts, for Netflix which will premiere in 2017 as well as Pure Genius for CBS and The Good Place for NBC, which are on the network’s 2016 fall schedules.

    Bajaria has in the past been ranked amongst the top  TV executives in the US when she headed Universal Television.  She left the production outfit  when she had a run-in with executives at NBC Studios for not buying enough content from her company, even though Fox and CBS were.

    At Netflix, Bajaria has been mandated with leading the team focused on TV and film licensing from major U. studios, as well co-production relationships with major US networks. She will also oversee a new team developing original unscripted programs for Netflix.

    Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and chief content officer Ted Sarandos have said time and time again that the company wants to keep showcase the best in class engaging content for its subscribers and a budget of $5 billion has been kept aside for this year to acquire and create content.

    “Bela is a great creative television executive with broad experience and deep industry relationships,” said Sarandos. “Having worked closely with her on Master of None and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, we know we have found the perfect executive to lead this new effort.”

    “I am looking forward to joining Netflix, an innovative company that supports creative vision and fosters risk-taking. Having worked closely with Ted, Cindy and the team, I know they are great creative partners and care deeply about the experience of talent, their partners and their members,” said Bela Bajaria. “They are a dynamic group and I’m looking forward to continue building new partnerships at Netflix with amazing talent and studio and network colleagues.”

  • Universal Television appoints Mike Clements as EVP comedy development

    Universal Television appoints Mike Clements as EVP comedy development

    MUMBAI: Universal Television has named Mike Clements as its new executive vice president of comedy development and Jim Donnelly as senior vice president, comedy development.

     

    Clements will report to Universal Television president Bela Bajaria, while Donnelly will report to Clements.

     

    Bajaria said, “Mike Clements is an extremely well-regarded comedy executive. In addition to being very supportive and collaborative with writers, he is excited about helping us launch great comedies. We are pleased to bring him on board to head comedy at the studio where we remain committed to producing innovative and smart break-out comedies.”  

     

    She added, “We’re additionally thrilled that Jim Donnelly has joined us from CBS Studios. I have a longtime relationship with Jim and know firsthand how well he works with the creative community. He’ll be a great addition to our strong comedy team, which includes our talented VP of comedy, Dan Shear.”

     

    Clements has a long history on the comedy side, most recently at animation studio Bento Box where he was head of creative development and original programing. Previously he was president of Tom Werner’s Good Humor Television. Before joining the producing side of television in 2006, Clements spent 14 years as a network comedy executive during the early stages of both Fox and the WB. He began his television career at NBC as an assistant in the photo department.

     

    Donnelly most recently served as VP of comedy development at CBS Studios. Previously he was at Paramount Television and CBS Productions on the comedy side as well.

  • NBC orders ‘Allegiance’ to series

    NBC orders ‘Allegiance’ to series

    MUMBAI: NBC has ordered to series the spy drama Allegiance from writer George Nolfi (THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU, THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM, OCEAN’S TWELVE), who also directed the pilot episode. The show is adapted from the original award-winning Israeli series MICE (Gordin Cell), which is produced by Tedy Productions for Israeli satcaster YES and Keshet Broadcasting, and distributed internationally by Keshet International.

     

    Allegiance is executive produced by Nolfi and Keshet Media Group CEO Avi Nir (Homeland) along with Yona Wisenthal from Yes and creators of the original Israeli show Ron Leshem, Amit Cohen and Giyora Yahalom. The series is a production of Universal Television, Keshet Media Group and YES.

     

    In Allegiance, Alex O’Connor, a young idealistic CIA analyst specializing in Russian affairs, learns a shocking secret and his close-knit, affluent family is about to be split apart when its revealed that his parents, Mark (Scott Cohen, Necessary Roughness) and Katya (Hope Davis, The Newsroom, In Treatment) are covert Russian spies deactivated decades ago.  But today the Kremlin has re-enlisted them into service as they plan a terrorist operation inside the U.S. border that will bring America to its knees.  Years ago, Russian-born Katya was tasked by the KGB to recruit American businessman Mark O’Connor as a spy and the two fell in love. A deal was struck: as long as Katya remained an asset for Russia, and it was agreed that her services could be called on in the future, she would be allowed to marry Mark and move to America. After years in America building a happy life and without word from Moscow, they thought they had escaped. Now it seems that the new Mother Russia has one more mission — turning Alex into a spy. For these anguished parents, the choice is clear: Betray their country or risk their family.

     

    Allegiance is the latest show from Keshet to be ordered to series in the US, following Tim Kring and Gideon Raff’s international thriller series Dig starring Jason Isaacs and Anne Heche for USA Networks; Tyrant, from Fox 21 of which Keshet is an executive producer, the David Yates-directed drama from Homeland executive producers Howard Gordon and Gideon Raff and Six Feet Under alum Craig Wright, for FX; and a fourth-season greenlight of the Emmy and Golden Globe® award-winning spy drama Homeland for Showtime.

     

    The Israeli original was created by Ron Leshem, Amit Cohen, Giora Yaalom and Danni Sirkin and produced by Tedy productions headed by Tmira Yardeni.