Category: Television

FOX's veteran animated comedy KING OF THE HILL will not continue beyond this, its 13th season, per THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

The 20th Century Fox TV-produced show is wrapping production on 13 episodes that Fox picked up in April. Creators Greg Daniels and Mike Judge have long since moved on to other projects: Daniels developed and is the show runner on NBC comedy THE OFFICE and Judge's new animated series THE GOODE FAMILY, will premiere on ABC this winter.

BabyFirst has launched its 24/7 commercial-free programming service for babies, toddlers and their parents in Germany with top cable operator Unitymedia. The operator joins the channel's existing group of European partnerships which include BSkyB (U.K.), CanalSat (France) and DigiTurk (Turkey).

Unitymedia will offer the full 24/7 BabyFirst programming service as part of their children's tier package.

Team Latin America walked away as winner of the ENGINE ROOM, an original, short-form online series in which four teams of digital artists from around the world showcased their cutting-edge digital art skills in a bid to win $400,000, programming control of MTV's high-definition screen in Times Square for a night, HP technology products and global bragging rights.

Eden FX, a Hollywood-based creator of visual effects for feature films, television programs and commercials, has helped to create the largest visual effects-laden episode ever of the hit CBS TV series GHOST WHISPERER.

Sci Fi Channel has greenlit production on WCG GAMEQUEST, an eight-episode elimination-style reality competition, pitting 12 contestants against each other in a series of video game challenges in order to find the "Best All-Around Gamer" in the United States. Shot on location in Los Angeles, GameQuest is slated to premiere on Sci Fi in the first quarter of 2009.

KidsCo, the joint venture channel owned by media companies NBC Universal, Cookie Jar Group and Corus Ent. is launching into Germany Wednesday after it entered into an agreement with local cable operator, Unitymedia.

The agreement will see KidsCo launching into the German marketplace today. German families can look forward to a unique raft of safe, trusted and educational programming including INSPECTOR GADGET, HEATHCLIFF, CYBERCHASE and CORDUROY as well as numerous feature-length family movies.

The world of gladiators comes to life as the Roman Empire's most brutal fighters clash in the ultimate arena. Starz's new series, SPARTACUS, an entirely new twist on the ancient legend, will utilize virtual environments giving it a unique graphic novel look and style, along with a fresh narrative approach. Debuting exclusively on Starz, SPARTACUS will be produced by Starz Media with exec producers Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Joshua Donen.

SPARTACUS will begin production in early 2009, debuting on Starz and its suite of channels later in the year.

Cartoon Network has partnered with Worldwide Biggies Inc., a digital entertainment studio focused on creating online experiences and multi-platform content for kids, families and young adults, to adapt the non-fiction children's horror book series NASTYBOOK from Barry Yourgrau. The twisted cautionary tales from the popular book series will be developed as a live-action/CGI film for Cartoon Network, as well as an array of Web content based on the horror series.

DIVE OLLY DIVE!, the environmentally-conscious preschool series from Taffy Ent. and Mike Young Productions U.K. (MYP), has added two new co-producers, Atlantyca Ent. and Studio 100, as it begins production on a second season. Twenty-six new half hour episodes (52x11) aimed at preschool audiences, have been ordered by Taffy Ent. following continuous great ratings for season one and new international licensing deals.

Disney Channel U.K. has signed a new deal with BT Vision, allowing viewers to watch Disney Channel and Playhouse Disney programming on demand in a Disney-branded environment. The service will launch on October 24, 2008.

A mean witch has locked the snow princess in a tower and it's up to Dora and her pals to rescue La Princesa Sabrina in Nickelodeon's new hour-long primetime TV movie, DORA SAVES THE SNOW PRINCESS, premiering Monday, November 3, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT).

Currently in its fifth season, international phenomenon DORA THE EXPLORER continues to reign as the number-one-rated preschool series on all of commercial television. DORA THE EXPLORER airs weekdays at 10:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nick Jr.

Spike TV has given the green light to two new projects, including the CG DEADLIEST WARRIOR. Production will begin this fall.

With the series "Deadliest Warrior," Spike TV will settle once and for all the age-old bar bet of who is history's ultimate fighting machine. Each week, this original, action-packed yet historical narrative series will pit two of the most feared warriors civilization has ever known against one another. Who would come out the victor in a battle of Genghis Kahn's Mongol Barbarians versus Viking warriors or Roman gladiators against Japanese samurai?