MUMBAI: Rupert Murdoch-promoted News Corp has decided to exit Sky Network Television, New Zealand?s pre-eminent pay television broadcasting service, by divesting its 44 per cent stake in the company.

The global media conglomerate is the largest shareholder in Sky New Zealand through its subsidiary News Limited.

The company has appointed Deutsche Bank to underwrite and, together with Craigs Investment Partners, to manage the sales of its Sky shares. The shares are expected to be sold to a broad range of institutional and retail investors.

Following the sales, News Limited will no longer have any holding in Sky Network Television. As a result of the sale, Michael Miller, Regional Director of News Limited, will resign from the board of Sky.

News Corp President and COO Chase Carey said, "Sky is a world class subscription television business and has been an outstanding investment for News Corporation. We and Sky have always enjoyed an excellent, arms-length working relationship and we expect this to continue unaffected by the sale. In particular, we do not anticipate any change to current arrangements regarding access to content and collaboration on technology."

According to The Australian newspaper, News Limited shares were being offered at NZ$ 4.80 each, giving the stake a value of NZ$ 815 million ($671 million).

MUMBAI: Nick Jr. has taken the broadcast rights for Saban Brands? new animated preschool series Julius Jr. in US, Australia and New Zealand. The series will premiere on Nick Jr. this year.

Julius Jr. will be distributed internationally by MarVista Entertainment.

Following the adventures of a young version of Julius the Monkey, Julius Jr. will mark the first television vehicle for Paul Frank. Since its founding in 1997, in a Huntington Beach garage, the lifestyle fashion brand has become globally recognised for its fresh and irreverent designs and colourful cast of characters.

"This is an exciting next step for the Paul Frank brand, and for Saban Brands," said Saban Brands President Elie Dekel. "Julius Jr. will entertain and captivate millions of children and continue our tradition of creating new platforms on which to engage with our brands."

The series is built around hero Julius Jr., a funky monkey with a penchant for invention. Together with his best pals, Worry Bear, Sheree, Clancy and Ping, they build a playhouse out of a simple cardboard box.

But when they walk inside, to their surprise and delight they discover that ordinary objects magically come to life and amazing adventures are just a door away. Julius Jr. proves every day that the best inventions are the ones that help your friends.

MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC?s commercial arm BBC Worldwide has announced that Jon Penn, currently FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO Asia Pacific, is to take up the new role of BBC Worldwide Australasia MD in April.

Penn succeeds former GM Tony Iffland and interim leader Blair McQuade, but will see his responsibilities broadened to include ownership of the region?s P&L under BBC Worldwide?s new Balanced Regionalisation plans, which aims to significantly increase revenue in the territory within the next five years. He will report directly to BBC Worldwide?s President of the UK, Australasia Marcus Arthur, who is based in London.

Also being announced today is BBC Worldwide Australasia?s interim GM Blair McQuade?s appointment as chief commercial officer for Australasia, a new role supporting Jon, which will see him take responsibility for the commercial activities across the business.

BBC Worldwide adds that Australia and New Zealand are hugely important markets for it and both have seen growth over the last five years, across all five areas of business: channels; sales and distribution; content and production; consumer products; and global brands. BBC Worldwide?s strategic aim to increase its regional focus, which will begin on 2 April next, will enable the company to maximise growth across all platforms in the local market.

In 2011/12, BBC Worldwide Australasia increased revenue by nine per cent on the previous year, generating $140 million. Recent new business success stories include the launch of the global BBC iPlayer pilot in Australia, where it is the most successful territory, and the growth of live events, with 100,000 people expected to attend one of five live events in the year.

Penn founded FremantleMedia Enterprises? brand licensing and interactive media division in Australia in 2001 and his responsibilities later expanded to include the rest of Asia Pacific. He was particularly instrumental in turning MasterChef Australia into a multi-million dollar, multi-platform brand over three years and his career has seen him launch new business enterprises across both traditional and digital media platforms, delivering overall revenue growth for FremantleMedia Enterprises in the Asia Pacific region.

Promoted to CEO FremantleMedia Enterprises Asia Pacific in 2009, he added TV distribution, home entertainment and live events to his responsibilities and led the team who has built multi-platform brand franchises out of The X Factor, QI, Grand Designs and Merlin, amongst many marquee TV properties.

Prior to FremantleMedia Enterprises, Penn worked for Fairfax Media?s digital division - Fairfax Digital - and has held a variety of sales, marketing and business development roles over his 22 year career.

Arthur said, "I?m really pleased that Jon has decided to take up our challenge as MD of Australasia, a role that will have increased responsibility in BBC Worldwide?s new organisational structure. His strategic influence across so many platforms, properties and brands at FremantleMedia is impressive, not least because of the outstanding commercial growth he?s drawn from them. I know he?s the right person to lead BBC Worldwide Australasia on to bigger and even better things as the region takes charge of its own P&L for the first time."

Penn said, "I?m thrilled to be given the opportunity to guide BBC Worldwide Australasia through such a pivotal point in its history. I have nothing but admiration for the business and I look forward to building upon the huge success already achieved by its talented workforce and building upon Blair?s brilliant leadership since Tony Iffland departed."

MUMBAI: Comedy Central India has acquired exclusive airing rights to the US comedy show - Anger Management - from Lionsgate International Television.

Anger Management is produced by Lionsgate Television in conjunction with Roth and Totino?s Revolution Studios, Burg?s Evolution Entertainment, Helford?s Mohawk Productions, Inc. and Estevez Sheen Productions.

The deal was arranged by Rohit Tiwari at Morris St. Advisors, Lionsgate?s partners and agents in India.

The series has already been sold in territories like Canada, Latin America, the UK, Scandinavia, Australia/New Zealand, Germany, Benelux, Poland, Spain and South Africa. Lionsgate?s Debmar-Mercury syndication arm distributes the show in the U.S. where, in addition to airing on F/X, it has already been sold into syndication with the Fox station group.

Anger Management is based on the 2003 film of the same name and stars Charlie Sheen in a role similar to the one immortalised by Jack Nicholson from the film. In this new series, Sheen stars as ex-baseball player turned therapist specialising in anger management. The plot talks of how Sheen breaks his leg in anger, putting an end to his baseball career. He then becomes an anger management therapist who runs a successful private practice. A bunch of crazy patients, a hot female doctor who is his competition, a very confused daughter, a rebel ex-wife and his own pangs of anger, constantly bug him making it even more difficult for him to keep his sanity.

Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Ltd SVP and GM English entertainment Ferzad Palia said, "On our first anniversary of Comedy Central in India we?re delighted to be bringing one of the most watched and talked about shows in the world, Anger Management, to our Indian audiences. In true Comedy Central style, expect unprecedented promotion, activation and fun around the show. We?re excited to play home to the next big thing in sitcom history."

Lionsgate International senior executive Jim Packer said, "We believe that Comedy Central is the perfect home for Anger Management in India, and we?re delighted to continue building the show?s momentum through ground breaking sales in territories around the world. The show is off to a record-breaking start in the U.S., and we expect it to have similar resonance with audiences around the world."