Verve Hires Literary Agent Noah Ballard, Expanding Its Publishing Division

After Skyhorse Publishing threatened a copyright infringement lawsuit against HBO’s Allen v. Farrow series,the docuseries' team isfiring back.

International Literary Properties, the New York- and London-based rights management outfit, has expanded the role of its UK CEO Hilary Strong to include Europe. In her new remit as CEO of UK and Europe, the former Agatha Christie Ltd CEO will be responsible for the company’s UK and European acquisition program. She will also have global responsibility for ILP’s TV and film exploitation of the estates in its portfolio.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorMaven Media, which runs the publishing businesses of Sports Illustrated and TheStreet, has tapped digital-media veteran Rob Barrett as president of media.Barrett reports to Maven CEO Ross Levinsohn. All of the company’s media brands, including SI and TheStreet, and editorial teams report to Barrett, who will remain based in the New York area.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaAustralia-based theatrical producer Michael Cassel Group is planting a flag in the United States. The company has made its first New York City-based hire, tapping Jane Abramson to serve as its new head of creative development.

Governor Andrew Cuomo said Friday that New York City’s indoor dining can expand its capacity to 35 percent, and also set several other landmark easings of pandemic restrictions. Currently, indoor dining is limited to 25 percent of capacity. The new limits will be pushed starting Feb. 26.

Barack Obama is celebrating his loved ones.

NEW YORK -- Genevieve Young was a publishing editor with a long and diverse legacy.She entered the business in the early 1950s, when there were few female editors and even fewer Asians. She worked with authors ranging from Herman Wouk to Betty Rollin and played a key role in the writing of Erich Segal's “Love Story,” the novelization of the Oscar-winning movie of the same name that is currently marking its 50th anniversary.

the note said.McNeil’s ouster came after The Daily Beast reported last week that he used the N-word and also made additional sexist and racist comments on a 2019 trip with students. When the story came out, the Times said it had investigated the incident in 2019 and had taken unspecified disciplinary measures.

Fox Corp. streaming service Tubi is expanding the live news offering it debuted last fall, adding nearly 80 stations owned by Cox, Hearst, Scripps and Tegna.

French In Motion Sets Up In LAEXCLUSIVE: French In Motion, the non-profit that brings together French and American professionals from the film and TV industry is launching a new chapter in Los Angeles. Headquartered in New York with an existing chapter in Washington DC, the org supports international co-productions and collaborations between France and the United States through its partnership with the Gotham Film & Media Institute and has been doing so since 2016.

“Step Up” has found its new Collette.

Wheelhouse, the company run by Brent Montgomery, the founder of Pawn Stars producer Leftfield, is ramping up its investment division with the hire of Ann Berry.

Mónica Marie Zorrilla Kids (and children at heart), prepare to be mystified: Netflix has summoned “Daniel Spellbound,” a new CG-animated series about a young seller of rare magical goods to sorcerers and sorceresses in modern-day New York City.

Grand Central Publishing has landed the publishing rights to The Antisocial Network by New York Times bestselling author Ben Mezrich. In a preemptive deal, the acquisition was one of two non-fiction books GCP acquirred from Mezrich with the other going unnamed. The book will be published in hardcover, e-book and an audio edition by Hachette Audio in the Fall of 2021.

UTA has hired Erik Telford as an agent. Telford, who has worked with such artists and social activists, as Barry Jenkins, Jesse Williams, Yara Shahidi and Janet Mock, will work across both the Culture and Leadership and Speakers divisions.

While many are confused why Margot Robbie and GameStop are the topics of conversation this week, Trevor Noah stepped in to spell it out.

Roc Nation Sports, the sports-focused division of Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter's Roc Nation, has hired former New York Mets general manager and CAA agent Brodie Van Wagenen to serve as COO and head of strategy and business development. Van Wagenen will report to Carter andRoc Nation Sports president Juan Perez.

ICM Partners has promoted 14 agents, including seven from its 2020 class and seven more newly minted agents this year. The promotions come from multiple divisions at the agency in Los Angeles and New York, including from among the branded entertainment, concerts, digital, lit, publications, talent and theater departments.

ICM Partners has announced the promotion of 14 agents – seven from 2020 and seven from 2021 – across a number of divisions including concerts, TV production, literature and talent.

Ryan Dorsey and the late Naya Rivera‘s son Josey just celebrated his first holiday season without his beloved mom, who drowned during a boating outing in July 2020. The 37-year-old actor says that his son is so “strong and brave,” in a new Instagram post showing how Ryan’s favorite NFL team the Carolina Panthers gifted five-year-old Josey with plenty of team gear for Christmas.