Comcast Corp., HIT Entertainment Plc., PBS and Sesame Workshop today (Oct. 20, 2004) announced plans to launch a 24-hour digital cable television channel for preschool children and a companion video-on-demand (VOD) service. The channel will bring together some of the best-known classic and contemporary children’s shows and is expected to launch in fall 2005.

Danny Goldman has been promoted to the created position of vp/gm London Sales for Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI). Goldman assumes direct management of the team of London-based international sales executives and the oversight of Northern and Central/Eastern European sales territories, as well as Africa and the Middle East.

His portfolio already includes sales distribution of SPTI product throughout the U.K. and Ireland. He continues to be based at SPTI's European headquarters in London.

Tiger Aspect’s documentary for the Discovery Channel, VIRTUAL HISTORY: THE SECRET PLOT TO KILL HITLER, airing Oct. 24 at 8:00 pm throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa, adopted cutting edge CGI from The Moving Picture Co. (MPC) to transform the faces of actors into exact replicas of Adolf Hitler, Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Josef Stalin. The program unfolds on the momentous day of July 20, 1944.

The Hollywood Film Festival's Board of Advisors has announced the nominees for the 2004 "Hollywood Film Awards" competition. The announcement was made today in Hollywood by Carlos de Abreu, founder/exec director of the Hollywood Film Festival.

"This year's Hollywood Film Festival continues its tradition of honoring the very best talent within our community. It is a celebration of all aspects of Hollywood filmmaking and the artists who help to create its lasting legacy on our culture," festival co-chair Paula Wagner said.

Jo Sweby joined the Contender Entertainment Group (CEG) in the newly created post of international acquisitions manager, responsible for growing CEG’s catalog of intellectual properties across the television, video and merchandising divisions by acquiring and expanding both third-party and wholly owned general entertainment and children’s titles internationally.

TV-Loonland has been making the most out of MIPCOM this year landing deals for several of its properties including HEIDI and CRAMP TWINS.

The Video Lab Johannesburg has two announcements: not only has renowned international colorist Catherine Pantazopoulos joined the group, but they have secured the latest in grading wizardry: Discreet’s lustre 2.5, the only one in South Africa.

Joining luminaries such as Pixar Animation Studios and Sony Pictures Imageworks, The Video Lab plans to have the lustre up and running by mid-October in a custom, designed, world-class grading room.

Lions rule the animal kingdom in the recent DVD release, PRIDE (BBC Video, $14.98), boasting character effects and animation by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.

The latest Acrobat version of Animation World Magazine is now online and ready for download. The theme for this edition is Independent Animation. Chris Robinson conducted an extensive poll of leading independent animators and asked them how they get the financing for their films. Indie animator Mark Simon writes about how not to budget yourself out of business. Janet Hetherington looks at the struggle to bring indie comic NEXUS into animation. And Joe Strike takes a look at how independent artists work within the studio system.

Boomerang, Turner Broadcasting's top-performing cartoon channel in the U.K. for kids 4-9 is getting a brand new look with its best loved characters taking center stage.

The reface aims to make the channel more accessible and appealing to its large pre-school audience and create a fun environment for viewers of all ages to watch its lineup of shows, which include TOM & JERRY, THE FLINTSTONES, WACKY RACES and SYLVESTER & TWEETY, from its library of Hanna-Barbera and Looney Tunes cartoons.