Lucia Annunziata, a former RAI political programming host and news editor, has been appointed president of RAI, its second president in less than two weeks, it was reported by the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Italy's two parliamentary chambers named her the chief executive a day after Paolo Mieli stepped down as RAI president only five days after he was appointed. Mieli claimed political and the technical difficulties spurred his resignation.

The businesswires are buzzing that entrepreneur Haim Saban and French broadcaster TF1 will most likely buy Germany's biggest broadcast group, Kirch Media. Saban, who ran Saban Entertainment and Fox Family Worldwide before selling off those assets, was in a bidding war with German publisher Heinrich Bauer who stopped making counteroffers this week. This clears the way for Saban and TF1 to clinch a deal valued at about $2 billion to get a 52.2% stake in Kirch's ProSiebenSat.1 and its vast film rights library.

Twentieth Century Fox and Marvel Enterprises have resolved their differences concerning the syndicated television series MUTANT X. Terms of the settlement were not released but have been amicably resolved according to a Fox statement and both sides are looking forward to expanding the relationship. Fox produced the X-MEN film in 2000, based upon the original comic book characters. A sequel is scheduled for release this year.

Less than a week after Paolo Mieli was appointed president of Italian state broadcaster RAI, the former newspaper editor resigned as head of the network, citing "technical and political" reasons it was reported by the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The upheaval has been unfolding amid controversy over prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's supposed sway over RAI when he controls Mediaset, RAI's main private rival. Mieli is said to have accepted the post on the condition that he would be free to choose the appointee to the general director post, currently held by Angostino Sacca.

Upheavals at RAI have been resolved for the time being with the appointment of Paolo Mieli, head of publisher Rizzoli-Corriere della Sera, as president of Italy's pubcaster, along with four new board members, according to VARIETY. Mieli, a journalist and author of books tracing the history of Italy's leftist politics, replaces Antonio Baldassarre. Baldassarre and RAI board member Ettore Albertoni submitted their resignations in response to government pressure on February 26, 2003.

A U.S. investment group led by media entrepreneur Dean Valentine and Europlay Capital Advisors, LLC terminated its official bid to buy 49.9% of The Jim Henson Company, Inc. from EM.TV & Merchandising. The terms of the non-binding letter of intent agreed upon in late December 2002 have been terminated. Former UPN chief Valentine, who also ran Walt Disney Co.'s Touchstone TV and the animation unit, was keen on buying a majority interest in JHC to expand the Henson brand into all areas of family entertainment.

Mattel is consolidating its girls and boys/entertainment business units into one divison renamed Mattel Brands. The new global group includes the Barbie and Hot Wheels mega brands. Chairman/CEO of Mattel Robert Eckert said the move to reduce redundancies was consistent with "our 'one Mattel' approach to doing business," he said. Former boys/entertainment division president Matt Bousquette is promoted to president of Mattel Brands, with the elimination of approximately 5% of the executive level positions, with Adrienne Fontanella exiting as president of the girls division.

The shakeup continues at Italian state broadcaster RAI with its president Antonio Baldassarre stepping down in response to government pressure. Baldassarre and RAI board member Ettore Albertoni submitted their resignations to Italy's lower and upper houses on February 26. Deputy Prime Minister Gianfranco Fini has been spearheading the move to remove RAI's top executives, especially after they decided to move one of RAI's channels, RAI2, to Milan without government approval.

Marvel Enterprises sued Sony Pictures Entertainment on February 25, 2003, in Los Angeles Superior Court over a licensing agreement regarding the SPIDER-MAN theatrical release. The suit was filed through Marvel's subsidiary Marvel Characters, Inc., against SPE and SPE Spider-Man GP Inc. Sony does not comment on pending litigation. Marvel said in a statement, "The complaint is not an attempt to stop production of the SPIDER-MAN sequel slated for May 2004 nor is it an attempt to change or upset any of the merchandising/licensing deals that are in place for the sequel.

Chief executives at Italian state broadcaster RAI have been asked to resign by prominent members of the government in response to the broadcaster's decision to move RAI2, one of its three channels, from Rome to Milan, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Deputy Prime Minister Gianfranco Fini has asked the RAI board of directors to step down, especailly RAI president Antonio Baldassarre, who heads the board, and its general director Agostino Sacca.

Haim Saban, billionaire entrepreneur who ran Saban Entertainment and Fox Family Worldwide before selling off those assets, reportedly will make a binding offer for bankrupt Kirch Media in Germany according to DAILY VARIETY. He is meeting with creditor banks with his chief strategy officer Adam Chesnoff and examining Kirch Media's books. Media conglomerate Kirch owns one of Germany's largest broadcasting groups, ProSiebenSat 1, as well as a vast film library. German publisher Heinrich Bauer is also interested in buying the group.

Following on the heels of last week's announcement that YU YU HAKUSHO is moving to Cartoon Network's Toonami Block on March 3, FUNimation announced at the International Toy Fair in New York City it has awarded JAKKS Pacific the master toy license for YU YU HAKUSHO in North America. JAKKS Pacific will manufacture action figures, accessories and playsets based on the popular series from Japan that follows the adventures of 14-year-old Yusuke Urameshi, and expects to have product hit retail shelves by Q4 2003, in time for the Christmas season.

Brown Shoe Company, Inc. has signed a licensing partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to create four new footwear lines, featuring Looney Tunes characters Tweety and Taz, and the DC Comics super heroes, Superman and Supergirl. The launch of all four character lines is scheduled for the 2003 back-to-school season, and will include athletic and casual shoes, boots and slippers. Supergirl footwear will debut first, appearing at select retailers in spring 2003. Targeted to kids ages 3-7, the footwear lines will be available in children's sizes 9-3.

Bankrupt Stan Lee Media is suing Merrill Lynch brokerage, seeking $10 million for the firm's alleged part in the company's demise, according to a report by Associated Press. The Internet company named after comics creator Stan Lee filed suit Wednesday in U.S. District Court, alleging the brokerage firm didn’t do enough to keep Stephen Gordon, former VP Stan Lee Media, and his brother Jonathan, a Merrill Lynch financial consultant, from running an alleged scheme to manipulate the price of the company's stock.

In a February 6, 2003 fourth quarter and fiscal year earnings teleconference, Steve Jobs confirmed that Pixar was in initial talks with other major motion picture studios, heightening the speculation that Pixar may not renew its partnership with Disney once the seventh film under the current deal is completed. Under the conditions of the existing agreement, Pixar had the right to begin negotiations after the fifth film was delivered.

Dr. Peter Duval has resigned from his position as speaker of the managing board of German entertainment company RTV as of January 31, 2003. During the recent restructuring process, the business volume of RTV has been reduced considerably and Duval stated that he no longer wanted to be at the disposal of the restructured company. This restructuring reduced the amount of ongoing production obligations the company had.

IDT Media is expanding its animation business, offering its services to toy companies to create low-cost 3D series for television or home video. IDT's production subsidiary Digital Production Solutions (DPS) and its Global Animation Studio plan to provide high-quality 3D animation solutions at a lower cost for toy manufacturers.

Tribune Entertainment and DIC have entered into an advertising sales and administrative alliance, where Tribune will exclusively handle all domestic barter sales activities, as well as oversee back room operational services, for DIC's domestic syndication division. Among the DIC properties for which Tribune will handle barter sales are DIC's programming blocks of FCC qualified educational and informational programming.

Profits are down but theme park attendance is up, as The Walt Disney Company reported earnings for the quarter ended December 31, 2002. Net income in the quarter was $256 million, or 13 cents per share, compared with net income of $438 million, or 21 cents, in the same quarter last year. These figures included an after-tax charge of $83 million, or 4 cents per share, for investments in aircraft leveraged leases with United Airlines.