The European Broadcasting Union and European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) "urged EU decision makers to give citizens the keys to enjoy more TV and radio programmes from across Europe." The EBU said that this "can be done through new copyright licensing rules that meet the needs of the Digital Single Market." It added that the two bodies expressed their "joint support for the adoption of draft copyright licensing rules on broadcasters' online transmissions and retransmissions." These draft rules, put forward by the European Commission in September, "would provide broadcasters and rightholders with new licensing tools to offer more TV programmes and services online and across borders" (BROADBAND TV NEWS, 4/5).
Lagardère Sports announced it entered a long-term partnership with Plan B Media -- the exclusive marketing partner of the FA of Thailand -- to distribute the media rights to FA Thailand events worldwide, excluding the Thailand market. The four-year partnership will see Laradère Sports distribute FA Thailand events across multiple media platforms including TV, internet and mobile. Lagardère Sports will help to grow and develop the distribution of: Thailand national team home matches, Thai League 1, Thai League 2, Thai FA Cup and Thai League Cup (Lagardère Sports).
The "legendary rivalry" between "controversial" former British World Boxing champions Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn is "set to live again in a new biopic about the pair," being produced by Fulwell 73. Fulwell 73 announced Tuesday that it was set for "imminent production" on the new boxing biopic "Benn v Eubank." Fulwell 73 previously produced "The Class of '92," "I Am Bolt" and "Mo Farah: No Easy Mile" as well as narrative feature projects (VARIETY, 4/4).
Nearly half a million viewers watched the opening round of the Norwegian top-tier football league Eliteserien season on Eurosport Norge. Close to 476,000 viewers tuned into the coverage on Eurosport Norge, nearly double the 282,000 that watched eight matches on TV2 last year (Eurosport).
