10 Global TV Stories You Should Know: 05/28/2024

Here are the global TV and streaming stories that should be on your radar for Tuesday, May 28th, 2024:

NBCU Global TV Distribution Strikes Content Deal With Nascent Asian Streamer Begin (Deadline)
NBCUniversal (NBCU) Global TV Distribution has struck a content deal with Asian streamer Begin. According to Begin, this is the first time that NBCU content will be legally watchable in Pakistan, as the U.S. major’s movies and shows have historically been pirated via Pakistani telecoms and internet service providers.

Sky Italia Readies Sky Stream Launch (Digital TV Europe)
Sky Italia is launching the Sky Stream digital box on June 3rd, offering a flexible solution for those who prefer a traditional TV experience with the convenience of streaming. Subscribers will be able to select content from various sources, including live and on-demand content from Sky, popular streaming services (such as Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, DAZN, RaiPlay, Discovery+, Paramount+, Apple TV+ and Mediaset Infinity), and free-to-air channels, all on a single screen.

Research: Streaming Piracy Growing In Nordics (Advanced-Television)
Piracy has been a challenge for the Nordic media market for many years. Despite efforts to limit piracy, illegal consumption of films, series and live sports is growing in most Nordic markets, according to data from Mediavision. Currently, 25 per cent of all 15-74-year-olds in the Nordics say they have downloaded or illegally streamed content.

English Club TV Reaches Into Bulgaria, Turkey, And Slovenia (Broadband TV News)
English Club TV, the educational channel aimed at improving English language skills, is launching in three new territories. The broadcaster has made its debut in Bulgaria, Turkey, and Slovenia. It has also launched projects for different proficiency levels, to stimulate cognitive development in children, to enhance brain plasticity, memory retention, and problem-solving abilities.

Sony Appoints Disney's Gaurav Banerjee As New India CEO: Report (Money Control)
Japan's Sony has appointed a Walt Disney executive, Gaurav Banerjee, as its new India chief executive to lead its television and other media businesses, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. Banerjee has resigned from Disney's India unit where he was the head of content for its streaming service, Hotstar, and head of business for the company's TV channels in Hindi-speaking markets, one source said.

Viasat World Teams With Canal+ For True Crime Channel Launch In Poland (TBI Vision)
Viasat World and Canal+ have partnered to launching a new crime-themed channel, Viasat True Crime, in the Polish market. Canal+ will serve as the primary broadcaster and technical partner for the new channel, which will  be available via the company’s Relax+ and higher packages. Viasat True Crime will focus exclusively on true crime programming, including marquee documentaries about real-life cases, true crime drama series, and crime-fighting reality shows. Viasat World has also secured the SVOD and FAST rights for a large part of its launch content.

Global Boxing Series Partners With Disney+ Hotstar (Adgully)
Global Boxing Series has partnered with Disney+ Hotstar, heralding a thrilling new era for professional boxing in India. For the first time, a pro boxing series will be shown on the country’s premier sports OTT channel, scheduled to take place in Mumbai on June 1.

Cancellation News Rocks The Block NZ After Viewers Slammed 'Disastrous' Season (Yahoo! Entertainment)
The New Zealand version of The Block has been cancelled just before filming was set to begin on the 11th season. The cancellation comes after Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) put a halt to the show last year, with the winners of the 2022 season making just $4k, the next couple made a measly $100, and the remaining teams walked away empty-handed.

Sky Swoops For Max’s ‘The Penguin’ TV Series (Deadline)
Sky has swooped for The Penguin. Max’s Warner Bros. Television and DC Studios drama series starring Colin Farrell as the titular character will air day-and-date with the pay-TV network in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy, in one of Sky’s biggest deals in recent months.

Hollyoaks Streams Internationally On YouTube (Advanced-Television)
Hollyoaks has become the first UK soap to be available in YouTube territories worldwide. The move allows fans around the globe to follow the drama by streaming full sequential episodes for free. It follows the launch of full episodes on YouTube in the UK last year, as part of Channel 4’s move to a stream-first model.