4Kids Ent. Inc. has appointed Jennifer Askin to the position of Manager, International Broadcast and Digital Sales, in which capacity she will oversee the marketing of worldwide new-media platforms for 4Kids Ent.'s extensive program catalogue. In addition, she will be responsible for securing traditional media sales for television in the Netherlands, Belgium, Turkey, Poland, the Ukraine, Belarus, all countries in Central Asia, South Africa and Africa.

French animation company Xilam has allied with the U.K.'s Cake Distribution to handle English-speaking territories, reports C21 MEDIA. The alliance with Cake, which is headed by Xilam's former exec VP of business development, Ed Galton, will have the London-based distributor handling sales to all English-speaking markets, including the U.K., Ireland, the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Montreal-based Pop6 is producing an animated feature version of Jeff Amano's comic book series GENE-FUSION, reports ICv2.com. The comic was the first title published by Amano's Beckett Ent. The initial issue was launched at MIPCOM 2002. Later, Ivan Brandon penned and Neil Vokes drew a four-issue run. Pop6 hopes to have the film ready for 2008.

GENE-FUSION: TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS follows a group of highly trained athletes called Fusers, who compete with genetically altered animals that were created by fusing the DNA of three separate creatures together.

Accelerating its worldwide sales activities under the leadership of Ken DuBow, PorchLight Ent.'s President of Worldwide Distribution, it was announced today that Jeffrey Engelen had been promoted to Vice President, Worldwide Sales. Reporting to DuBow, Engelen's sales responsibilities have expanded to include key territories throughout Europe, Russia, Africa and the Middle East, where he will concentrate on broadcast sales of PorchLight's expansive library of programming.

A virtual space of information about the MIPCOM Mobile & Internet TV Awards has been set up inside the 3D virtual world of Second Life. This virtual platform brings together creators and new talent in emerging areas of entertainment, such as Internet and machinima.

Nickelodeon and BRB Internacional have struck a deal to air animated TV series, ANGUS & CHERYL, across several European and Latin American territories this fall. This first-ever broadcasting deal between Nickelodeon and BRB gives the network cable and satellite TV rights to the series for Belgium, France, Holland, Italy, Latin America, Luxembourg, Portugal, Scandinavia, Spain and Switzerland. Additionally, Nickelodeon in Holland will also screen the show in an open-broadcast format.

Aardman Animations has found an American home for its internationally successful children's property SHAUN THE SHEEP. The animated series, which just last week won the Cristal Award as Best TV Production at the Annecy Animated Film Festival, will premiere on Disney Channel on Sunday, July 8, 2007, in primetime. Since its successful launch as the most viewed show at Mipcom 2006, the property has sold to primary broadcasters in 145 territories including Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Germany, India, France, Benelux, Japan and Latin America.

Jetix Europe's latest co-production is animated action/comedy series, COMBO NINOS. Done in close collaboration with the French production house SIP Animation and TF1, COMBO NINOS is designed to appeal to kids 6-10 and will debut on Jetix Europe’s channels in Aug. 2008.

The fifth most watched series at MIPCOM Junior 2006, SKUNK FU!, is bent on conquest of key European territories with sales by Cake Distribution to France 5, NRK and RAISAT. Outside Europe, recent sales have included a pan regional deal with Cartoon Network Asia.

York International's new emphasis on new media licensing positioned it uniquely to partner with the wide range of emerging Internet and satellite based entities registered for MIPTV. CEO Tanya York explained, "Our library is great for home video, but as the new technologies take over, we are now in a perfect position to assist our clients with Internet and new media based content needs."