MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has licensed the series ?Unforgettable? to several broadcasters across Asia-Pacific including Star in India, Wowow in Japan and TVNZ in New Zealand.

?Unforgettable? will air from 8 May on Star, this summer on Wowow and later this year on TVNZ. The series will also return in Australia on NINE next week. Around the world, the series has now been sold in more than 150 countries.

SPT senior VP distribution, Asia Pacific Angel Orengo.Orengo said, "SPT consistently offers audiences compelling, engaging, high-quality programming and Unforgettable delivers just that. Its mystery and originality coupled with the smoldering smarts of lead character Poppy Montgomery will continue to grab the attention of millions of viewers across our region."

?Unforgettable? follows Poppy Montgomery as Carrie Wells, an ex-cop with a special gift: she remembers everything she?s experienced in perfect detail. Specifically, Carrie has hyperthymesia, an extremely rare condition in which the brain recalls detailed events by date, often back to childhood. When a tragedy brings her back in touch with her ex-boyfriend (Dylan Walsh), now an NYPD detective, he convinces her to use her incredible memory to help solve big-city crimes.

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television has expanded its UK footprint by picking up majority stake in independent production company Silver River Productions.

Headed by Daisy Goodwin, Silver River Productions is SPT?s third UK production venture, joining Gogglebox Entertainment and Victory Television.

Under the deal, SPT will take over worldwide sales of Silver River?s catalogue from FremantleMedia.

Founded by Goodwin in 2005, Silver River?s previous productions include Pulling, Supersizers, Grow Your Own Drugs, Inside Gatwick, Kevin McCloud?s Grand Tour and Off By Heart.

Goodwin will continue to lead Silver River as president from its existing London office, and now reports to Andrea Wong, SPT?s president of international production.

The Current Silver River slate of primetime programmes includes Off By Heart Shakespeare (BBC2), Sergeant On Spike (ITV1), Hidden Talent (Channel 4), Elizabeth Taylor ? The Queen of Diamonds (Channel 4) and Restoration Women (BBC4).

Announcing the deal, SPT?s president of international production Andrea Wong said, "I?ve known and admired Daisy for several years and I?m so happy to now have the chance to work closely with her and with her team. Their proven ambition and achievements are the perfect fit for our production network, where creativity and talent are the essential drivers in everything we do."

Daisy Goodwin said, "Sony has a really alluring mix of great shows and real ambition. I know that working with Andrea and her team we will be bringing Silver River?s distinctive blend of originality and entertainment to the widest possible audience, and I am looking forward to bringing their best properties to the UK market."

At MIP TV in Cannes next month, SPT will launch Silver River programmes and formats such as Elizabeth Taylor ? The Queen of Diamonds and Say No to the Knife.

SPT?s other UK interests include a portfolio of seven television channels, an advertising sales joint venture (Dolphin TV) and distribution deals with UK broadcasters and video on demand platforms.

MUMBAI: Hammered by the floods in Thailand, strong yen and weak global demand, Japanese consumer electronics and media conglomerate Sony announced net losses of $2.04 billion for the third quarter.

Sony recorded net income of 72.3 billion yen for the same quarter in 2010.

Sony Pictures increased sales by 7.7 per cent to $2.06 billion, but profits took a beating and fell by 85 per cent to $9 million.

At the same time, India proved to be a shining light. Overall Sony continues to see double digit growth from India and Brazil.

Sales in the music segment decreased by 12 per cent and operating income decreased ?4.2 billion year-on-year to ?15.3 billion.

Sales decreased primarily due to fewer new significant releases in the current quarter compared with the same quarter of the previous fiscal year, and the appreciation of the yen.

Operating income decreased due to the lower sales, partially offset by lower marketing expenses. Overall, the company has forecast a full-year operating loss, due to bad losses in its TV operations despite restructuring efforts.

Sony VP, corporate executive officer, CFO, Masaru Kato noted that sales decreased significantly year-on-year due to the impact of floods in Thailand, deterioration in the market environment in developed countries, and even greater relative impact of exchange rates. The floods in Thailand were one of the major factors behind the significant decrease in sales and deterioration in operating results for the quarter.

"Several of our manufacturing facilities incurred direct damage, resulting in a halt in production, and the delayed launch of certain products. Moreover, the supply chain across the entire industry was impacted, and the demand decreased as companies we do business with were affected. The decrease in sales and significant deterioration in equity in net income of affiliated companies caused us to record an operating loss for the quarter," he said.

Kato noted that China has reached the plateau and the company, thus, cannot expect the figures for their growth.