U.K. Music Targets Summer Return for $1.7 Billion Live Music Industry – Global Bulletin

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, DJ Khaled signs on to host the MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021, Foxtel snags “The Drew Barrymore Show” in Australia and “SAS: Who Dares Wins” gets a Swedish adaptation.Grammy-winning producer, DJ and record exec DJ Khaled will host the MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 (MAMA), broadcasting globally for the first time on MTV Feb. 20.

Naman Ramachandran In today’s Global Bulletin, Sky reveals diversity goals; Stan pacts with Walter Presents for international drama; LevelK sells “Tove”; and Abacus boards Martin Scorsese-hosted doc “The Oratorio.”Comcast’s pay tv operator Sky has announced a goal for 20% of its U.K. and Ireland workforce to be from Black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds by 2025, and at least 5% of these to be Black.

Brexit financial support for the music industry.The government has come in for heavy criticism since the UK officially left the EU earlier this month over the Brexit deal’s lack of support for touring musicians, specifically in terms of the failure to implement visa-free travel in Europe for British musicians and their crew.While Dowden previously told NME that the EU was to blame for not permitting visa-free travel for artists, the EU subsequently hit back by denying claims that they had

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, Netflix commissions Telugu-language anthology “Pitta Kathalu” in India and graphic novel adaptation “Heartstopper” in the U.K.; WarnerMedia announces HBO Max Latin America leadership roles ahead of the platform’s rollout in the territory; ITV Studios opens its Factual Pitch program; NewImages Festival strengthens its XR alliances in Taiwan; and Filmzie launches its TV series programming.After 2020 Tamil-language anthology “Paava Kadhaigal,” Netflix India h

Silk City, the side project from Mark Ronson and Diplo, are set to return this week with a new track featuring Ellie Goulding.The pair launched the collaborative project back in 2018 when they shared a string of singles – including the Dua Lipa-assisted ‘Electricity’ – and headlined Rob Da Bank’s Bestival.Ronson teased Silk City’s comeback on social media last week (January 13), unveiling a 10-second instrumental teaser. “…and we’re back,” he wrote as the caption.

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, Sky picks up hundreds of hours of Studiocanal feature film content; Banijay aims to raise domestic abuse awareness; GoQuest Media picks pair of Serbian drama series; Oble finds a home on Viu Middle East for “The Outbreak”; Abacus Media Rights snags Kate Beckinsale-narrated dog show doc; Walter Presents acquires three French Canadian series; and Eccho Rights sends a slate of Korean dramas to upstart Turkish streamer Exxen.Sky and Studiocanal have closed a

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIn a move that brought deep chagrin to songwriters and publishers and joy to the broadcasting industry, after years of talk, the Justice Department has decided to leave unchanged the 80-year-old consent decrees that govern the public performances of music, Makan Delrahim, the outgoing Justice Department Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division, announced Friday.The music publishing community and particularly performing-rights organizations ASCAP and BMI

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, WarnerMedia Latin America makes several leadership team changes; HBO Europe announces new true-crime docuseries “Pray, Obey, Kill”; Amazon Prime Video picks up “I Care a Lot” in several key territories; Piece of Magic hires Charlie Kemball as head of acquisitions and business development; San Sebastián opens the call for key sections; and “Mully” will stream free globally this Valentine’s Day.WarnerMedia Latin America chief content officer Tomás

Naman Ramachandran In today’s Global Bulletin, London TV Screenings set for March; NENT, Dopamine pact for unscripted; Pact promotes Jane Muirhead; CinefestOz gets spinoff; and Eccho Rights sells “8 Words.”The annual London TV Screenings event, where distributors All3Media International, Banijay Rights, eOne, Fremantle and ITV Studios will showcase their spring slates to international buyers, will take place March 1-12.As previously announced, the screenings will be virtual this year, with the

Jamie Lang The Mediapro Studio Distribution has closed a deal with Starz that will land South-Pole murder mystery series “The Head” on the broadcaster’s streaming platform Starzplay in the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Austria and German-speaking regions of Switzerland and Luxembourg on Feb. 7.One of the most significant steps into scripted drama production by Spanish producer The Mediapro Studio, “The Head” was executed in partnership with Hulu Japan and HBO Asia.

Naman Ramachandran In today’s Global Bulletin, Inclusive Cinema addresses racism; Sky goes green; Sovereign acquires “Verdict”; Blackstone buys “Stars Wars” building; and Swipe pops champagne documentary.The U.K.’s Inclusive Cinema project has launched a guide for improving the cinema experiences of ethnically diverse audiences and staff — a directive that challenges institutions to make good on their Black Lives Matter and anti-racism statements from 2020.The guide, titled “Dismantling

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, historic snowfall in Madrid delays Spanish Academy Award nominations, Sky announces members of its Diversity Advisory Council, Netflix reveals casting for the next season of “Borgen,” documentary “Daisy Maskell – Insomnia and Me” on the way from BBC Three, Endemol Shine Germany teams with Rainer Laux on a new reality production label, and “COVID vs The World” documentary gets History Channel premiere dates across Asia.The 2021 Spanish Academy Goya Awards n

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, the BBC announced more than 500 complaints about a Black Lives Matter tribute during this year’s New Year’s Eve fireworks; Lux Vide and Arrow Pictures make key appointments; the Nordisk Film & TV Fond announces this year’s prize jury and Mark Lazarus is named as this year’s NATPE opening keynote speaker.The BBC started 2021 with a televised bang as it took London’s annual New Year’s Eve fireworks display, traditionally held at the London Eye but

Naman Ramachandran In today’s Global Bulletin, Gugu Mbatha-Raw headlines BBC’s “The Girl Before”; VFX veteran Oikonomopoulou joins Cinesite; Channel 4 appoints Ally Castle as disability lead; Meihodo festival reveals winners; Snipple Animation launches U.K. originals outfit; and “Little Birds” and “My Big Family Farm” sell worldwide.Gugu Mbatha-Raw (“The Morning Show”) is set to star in a BBC adaptation of J.P. Delaney’s best-selling novel “The Girl Before,” with 42 (“Military Wives”)

a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee being told that this summer’s festivals could be cancelled as soon as this month without government support and assurances regarding insurance, funding, the vaccine and mass-testing.

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, U.K.

Let the Music Play: Save Our Summer 2021, outlining their recommendations for how to restart the UK’s live music industry once it is safe to do so.While the roll-out of coronavirus vaccinations has boosted hopes that live music will be able to return in the UK later this year, there remains great uncertainty over whether this summer’s festival season will be able to go ahead as planned due to the ongoing pandemic.As MPs on the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee open their inquiry