Here are the global TV and streaming television stories that should be on your radar for Wednesday, May 21st, 2025:
BBC Unveils 10-Strong Comedy Slate Featuring Diane Morgan, Michael Palin, Mackenzie Crook, Lenny Rush, Rob Brydon, & Guz Khan (Deadline)
Cunk star Diane Morgan, Monty Python‘s Michael Palin and Pirates of the Caribbean actor Mackenzie Crook all feature in a 10-strong comedy slate at the UK’s BBC. BBC Director of Comedy Jon Petrie unveiled the shows today at the BBC Comedy Festival in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Channel 4 To Supercharge Indie Investment Strategy Under Plans To Launch In-House Production Unit (Deadline)
Channel 4 is planning to take majority stakes in third-party production companies as part of its plan to move into in-house production. As the UK commercial broadcaster published its annual report on Wednesday, Channel 4 unveiled its Creative Investment Fund, which will back companies with commercial potential.
Channel 4 Reports Record 1.8bn Streaming Views In 2024 (Advanced-Television)
Channel 4 has published its Annual Report for 2024, demonstrating “digital growth, creative impact and financial resilience” as the channel delivers its Fast Forward strategy. 2024 marked the final full year under CEO Alex Mahon, who has led the broadcaster through a major transformation to become the UK’s first public service streamer.
Pact Slams Channel 4’s IP Play And In-House Production Plans: ‘A Bitter Pill To Swallow For the Indie Sector’ (Variety)
The U.K. screen sector trade body for independent production and distribution companies revealed it was given virtually no advance notice of the sweeping changes, receiving only a summary of the proposals “late yesterday” before the public announcement on Wednesday.
Asharq Crowned ‘Telly Media Company Of The Year’ Globally For Second Year Running (Arab News)
The accolade recognizes the network’s efforts in producing impactful, high-quality content. In total, Asharq Network received 160 awards across various categories, including 25 gold, 76 silver and 59 bronze. The network stood out among 13,000 record-breaking entries from five continents. Its winning work includes content from across all Asharq Network brands, including Asharq News, Asharq Business with Bloomberg, Asharq Documentary, Asharq Discovery.
Mórbido TV And Screen Capital Unveil Umbra, A Genre-First Streaming Hub For The LatAm Market (Variety)
Chilean investment firm Screen Capital has acquired Versatile Communications Inc. to launch the region’s first multi-platform hub dedicated entirely to horror and fantasy content. With an initial $2.5 million investment from Screen Capital’s Screen II Fund, the initiative marks a pioneering venture into specialized genre content with global ambitions.
ITV Reduces Daytime Output (Broadband TV News)
ITV has announced major changes to its daytime scheduling and production, reducing the frequency of some of its most popular shows, and moving production out of Television Centre. From January 2026, Good Morning Britain will be produced by ITV News at ITN at their base at Gray’s Inn Road in London. The programme will be made by a dedicated team within ITV News at ITN, the first time the network’s news provider has been wholly responsible for its breakfast update. Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women will continue to be produced by ITV Studios and will be broadcast from a new location in central London.
Canal+, MultiChoice Deal Gets Competition Approval (Advanced-Television)
France’s Canal+ and South African pay-TV broadcaster Multichoice have been informed that the South Africa’s Competition Commission recommended Canal+ takeover of MultiChoice Group will be approved, with conditions, clearing a significant hurdle. Conditions include funding commitments for the production of local South African general entertainment and sport content, and funding local content creators.
Trust Partners With Warner Bros. Discovery To Launch Superman-Inspired Gaming Gear Across Europe (Superman Home Page)
Trust International, the Netherlands-based digital accessories company, has announced an exciting new partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBDGCP) through licensing agent NLC (Nording Licensing Company) to launch a range of Superman-inspired gaming peripherals across European markets.
Ghosts Of Korea's Past: Korean Dramas Blend History With Supernatural To Draw Audiences (Korea JoongAng Daily)
Blending romance, action and occult elements, a new wave of genre-infused period dramas is captivating Korean audiences, with shows like SBS’s “The Haunted Palace” leading the trend by reimagining traditional sageuk (Korean historical drama). What makes “The Haunted Palace” appealing is its genre. Branding itself as an exorcism fantasy show, the drama’s other main character is a ghost. The title originates from the drama’s setting, a “palace possessed by ghosts.”