News

Granada America president Stephen Davis and Sony Pictures Television president of distribution John Weiser have been nominated to serve a second term as co-chairs of NATPE. The term will continue through NATPE's 2006 Conference & Exhibition. Davis and Weiser also have announced new nominees to the board of directors: Gemstar-TV Guide International's Rich Battista, the Interactive Channel Co.'s Robert Chua, Zenith Media USA's Peggy Green, WMA's Mark Itkin, Proteus Telitas (US) Inc.'s Russ Kagan, CBS Entertainment's David Katz, Sky Network (USA)'s Rebecca Segal, Microsoft's Blair Westlake and Fox Television Network's Ed Wilson. The nominations are pending formal ratification from NATPE's voting membership during the association's annual business meeting Jan. 27 at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.

Reality TV producer Bertram Van Munster has inked a deal with Hong Kong-based TV producer Robert Chua to create a reality television production venture that will include a Shanghai, China, satellite production facility. Van Munster, an Emmy-winning producer whose credits include The Amazing Race, said Wednesday that he plans to create a range of reality shows and other forms of programming. The target audience will be China, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and other countries. The programming will be available for the U.S. and European markets as well.