MUMBAI: AMC/Sundance Channel Global announced the establishment of its Asian headquarters and substantial steps toward building out local staff and operations.

The company?s scheduling and on-air creative services will be based in Singapore while affiliate operations will be spearheaded out of Hong Kong. The company had recently appointed Keith Mak to oversee affiliate distribution and marketing for the company?s Asian operations.

Coming on the heels of Sundance Channel?s breakthrough success with its premiere window broadcast of Breaking Bad, the channel is increasing its slate of award winning, critically acclaimed programming by acquiring the rights to numerous series and independent films for 2013-2014.

The extensive range of productions announced includes TV premiere rights in Asia to the new Rolling Stones documentary Crossfire Hurricane, as well as Downton Abbey, Monk, The Hour and numerous independent films that have recently been showcased at leading festivals worldwide.

Bruce Tuchman, AMC/Sundance Channel Global President, stated, "After a tremendous amount of distribution growth and success with our original productions such as Breaking Bad, it is the natural next step for us to augment our localization by establishing both creative and distribution headquarters in Asia. With highly experienced personnel and world-class resources on the ground, we will move even closer to our audiences and partners, thereby further accelerating our growth."

In an agreement with Eagle Rock Entertainment, worldwide TV premiere rights for Asia have been secured for the Rolling Stones documentary Crossfire Hurricane (1x120?), which will be seen on HBO in the US. Sundance Channel will premiere the documentary, which features extensive interviews with the band, later this year.

Sundance Channel will premiere the documentary on TVOD to its affiliate partners prior to the linear launch.

AMC/Sundance Channel Global has also acquired the basic cable rights in Malaysia to multiple seasons of critically acclaimed Downton Abbey and Monk from NBCUniversal International Television Distribution. Premiere window rights for the second season of The Hour have been secured via Shine International for Asia.

Numerous films that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year have been acquired from a variety of distributors.

This includes End of Love (for Spain, Dutch speaking Benelux and Malaysia) and Here (France, Spain, Portugal, Dutch speaking Benelux and Asia), and The Imposter (Asia), among others. In addition, rights in Malaysia have been acquired to premiere Teddy Bear and Safety Not Guaranteed.

MUMBAI: AMC/Sundance Channel Global is bolstering its programming slate at the on-going television trade event MipTV by acquiring the rights to a range of new productions, series and independent films, including ?Weeds?, ?Damages?, ?The Straits?, ?The Slap? and independent films from festivals including Sundance Film Festival, Cannes, Venice and more.

These announcements follow recent agreements with premier Pay TV platforms across multiple key markets in Europe and Asia for new launches of its international television networks and video-on-demand (VOD) services.

AMC/Sundance Channel Global president Bruce Tuchman said, "AMC/Sundance Channel Global has experienced expanded growth over a very short time and while our advanced rights offering and robust VOD services are embraced by operators, it is our outstanding programming that caters to a hungry audience and continues to drive the growth of our business. These acquisitions reinforce our commitment to offering high quality, independent-minded programming to international audiences across multiple platforms."

Weeds? has been acquired for Sundance Channel in France and French Benelux through a deal with Lionsgate. The agreement includes rights to the series through season four. ?Damages? has been acquired for Sundance Channel in Spain and Portugal through an agreement with Sony Pictures Television. The agreement includes rights to the series through season five. ?The Straits? is a darkly humorous crime drama series set in Australia. Premiere window rights have been acquired for Sundance Channel in Eastern Europe, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, France, Benelux and select territories in Asia through an agreement with DCD Rights.

The Slap?, meanwhile, is a new drama mini-series based on the bestselling book by Christos Tsiolkas. Sundance Channel has acquired premiere window rights for the series to air in Dutch Benelux through an agreement with DCD Rights.

This agreement builds on the channel?s previously acquired rights for the programme in Eastern Europe, Spain,Portugal, Greece, Turkey and Asia. 2 Films have been acquired including ?Bellflower? and ?Myth of the American Sleepover?. The deal includes over 25 premiere window titles on Sundance Channel in Eastern Europe and Belgium. Currently, viewers in Europe and Asia can find shows such as ?Mad Men?, ?The Walking Dead?, ?Breaking Bad? and ?Hell on Wheels? on Sundance Channel. Last week, Sundance Channel?s sister channel AMC in the US debuted season five of "Mad Men" with a two-hour premiere, which resulted in record ratings making it the most watched episode ever from the series.

MUMBAI: AMC Networks has appointed Bruce Tuchman as AMC/Sundance Channel Global president. This is the company‘s international division.

Tuchman joins AMC Networks from MGM Worldwide Networks, where he served as president since 2001.

In his new role, Tuchman will lead the strategic expansion of the company‘s global business, including the distribution, programming and marketing of Sundance Channel, currently distributed in Europe, Canada and Asia, and WE TV, currently distributed in Asia.

Based in New York City, Tuchman will report to AMC Networks COO Ed Carroll.

Carroll said, "Bruce bring tremendous experience successfully launching networks and growing existing businesses throughout the world, making him an ideal executive to maximise our growth opportunities in key regions internationally. As we continue to experience momentum for our global business and international demand for our brands, we look forward to Bruce leading our operations through our next phase of growth."

Tuchman added, "I‘m excited about the opportunity to contribute to the success story of AMC Networks. There is a strong appetite for Sundance Channel and WE TV internationally, and I‘m looking forward to collaborating with our content and distribution partners to serve audiences with distinctive, high quality entertainment."

In 2001, Tuchman joined MGM Worldwide Networks, a division of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios to develop and manage MGM‘s interests in cable, satellite and other television networks, which reach tens of millions of subscribers across more than 130 countries.

MUMBAI: Hollywood Suite, which consists of four high?definition movie channels, has announced its launch across Canada this November.

Featuring commercial?free HD movies 24/7, uncut and unedited, Hollywood Suite is the home of movie channels from both Warner Bros. and MGM.

The announcement to bring these motion picture studio brands to Canadian television was made by Warner Bros. International Television president Jeffrey R. Schlesinger, MGM Worldwide Networks president Bruce Tuchman and Hollywood Suite chairman and co?founder Jay Switzer.

Hollywood Suite is a single, connected movie destination providing a pure, high quality, affordable movie experience, accessible anywhere at any time. Available across Canada, subscribers can choose from over 450 different movie titles every month on television ? with a selection available on demand, on?line and on mobile ? all for one low monthly fee from their television service provider.

The Hollywood Suite is:

- Warner Films ? one of the most successful and recognised
entertainment brands in the world, with an extensive world class library of film titles
- The MGM Channel ? showcasing movies from the famous
Metro?Goldwyn?Mayer library including modern masterpieces and gems from Hollywood?s golden age
- Hollywood Storm ? ultimate action films involving the best in epic adventure - Hollywood Festival ? critically acclaimed independent and major studio romance and relationship films

The Hollywood Suite channels will be available across Canada on cable, satellite and IPTV. Pricing and packaging will be announced closer to launch.

Switzer said, "These channels are designed to meet the strong audience demand for movies across all platforms and support Canada?s television service providers" says. "With a number of leading financial backers including Alliance Films, and with studio support from Warner Bros., MGM, and Alliance, as well as many Canadian producers, we know these channels will be exceptionally well received in Canada"

Hollywood Suite president and Co?founder David Kines said, "We love movies ? and we are bringing to Canada what movie fans want and demand, at one low monthly price. When you add up all the movies we offer and all the ways a subscriber can watch them, Hollywood Suite offers any movie fan a fantastic HD movie experience".