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Daily Archives : Apr 9, 2008

Sundance Buys 22 Lionsgate Film Titles

Sundance Channel acquired the rights to air 22 movies from Lionsgate, including films directed by Kurosawa and Fellini and the network premiere of “Starting Out in the Evening,” Daily Variety reports. Other Lionsgate films Sundance will premiere include the Tom…

Senators Tell FCC Head to Refocus

U.S. senators told Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin to focus more on next February’s transition to digital broadcasts and less on cable-television mandates, Multichannel News reports. Issues such as a la carte cable pricing and net neutrality are “solutions…

SAG Faction Lowers Voting Threshold

Screen Actors Guild members requesting that eligible voters for its pending contract be required to work a certain number of days a year proposed a reduced threshold of minimum work, Web site DeadlineHollywoodDaily reports. The new proposal requests that members…

Janetti Rejoins ‘Family’ in Fox Deal

Former “Will & Grace” showrunner Gary Janetti signed a two-year agreement with Fox Television in which he will rejoin the writing staff of “Family Guy,” Daily Variety reports. Mr. Janetti, who is developing a sitcom with “Family Guy” creator Seth…

Philips Tunes Out Making TVs for U.S.

Royal Philips Electronics will stop making televisions for sale in North America in September, and will outsource production of Philips and Magnavox TVs to Funai Electric for at least five years. Philips said the transfer of North American television operations…

Pinkner of ‘Lost’ to run Abrams Fox Drama

Fox signed “Lost” executive producer Jeff Pinkner to run science-fiction drama “Fringe,” which was created in part by J.J. Abrams for Fox, the Hollywood Reporter says. In addition to ABC’s “Lost,” Mr. Pinkner had worked with Mr. Abrams as an…

Helfer, Pounder Sign for Pilots

Fox Broadcasting signed “Battlestar Galactica” co-star Tricia Helfer for a yet-to-be determined series, the Hollywood Reporter said. Meanwhile, CBS signed CCH Pounder, whose credits include “The Shield,” to star in drama series “The Tower,” while the CW got Michael Trevino,…

Burton, 55, Discovered Child Stars

Iris Burton, the casting agent whose clients included child television stars Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, and Fred Savage, died last weekend in Woodland Hills, Calif., at age 77 after suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease and pneumonia, Daily Variety reports. Ms….