Category: Business

Global distributor/producer BKN has entered the home entertainment and new media distribution business by forming BKN Home Ent. Ltd. in the U.K. and BKN Home Ent. Inc. in the U.S. to take greater control of the distribution of the companys content in all emerging forms and venues.

Matthew Graham-Clare has bee named md of the U.K. operation with Mark Saxe serving as production director.

BKN International AG has opened a subsidiary in Barcelona named BKN Kids New Media SL, headed by md Laura Tapias, to handle its activities in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France and Latin America.

Tapias joined BKN New Media Ltd. UK in 2004 as vp, sales & marketing, for Spanish, Portuguese and Italian speaking territories. Tapias, with a decade of international sales and marketing experience in the entertainment industry, previously served with leading Spanish TV producers and distributors.

Vivendi Universal Games (VU Games) has acquired leading independent developer, High Moon Studios. Under terms of the agreement, VU Games will retain High Moons team of more than 100 development professionals, as well as rights to the studios intellectual properties. John Rowe, president/ceo of High Moon, will continue to manage the studio from its state-of-the-art facility located in Carlsbad, California.

Viacom Inc. has completed the transaction to separate into two publicly traded entities: CBS Corp. and "New" Viacom Inc. Shares of the two new companies commenced trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Jan. 3, 2006, under the symbols: "CBS.A" (CBS Corp. Class A Common Stock) and "CBS" (CBS Corp. Class B Common Stock) and "VIA" (Viacom Inc. Class A Common Stock) and "VIA.B" (Viacom Inc. Class B Common Stock).

The move to separate Viacom's businesses was announced in June 2005.

The Computer Animation Studios of Ontario (CASO) has been formed to address the issues and opportunities of computer animation studios in Ontario. There are an estimated 50 studios in the Canadian province that produce computer animation and visual effects for feature films, television programs and television commercials. These studios employ anywhere from a few to hundreds of employees who use the latest in computer equipment and software to create world leading animation and digital visual effects.

The French postal service, La Poste, has honored THE SIMS franchise with an official postage stamp. Published in limited edition of three million units, Les Sims is one of 10 stamps in the Heroes of Videogames collection featuring the industrys most beloved icons.

The set retails for 2.65 euros (approximately $3.09 USD) and is available now in French post offices and through La Poste's website at www.timbres.laposte.fr/eng.