Luc Besson launches Blue

Film News: Company to produce 'advertainment' -- Helmer-producer Luc Besson is teaming up with advertising exec Christophe Lambert to launch Blue, Gaul’s first shingle devoted to “advertainment” — a blend of entertainment and advertising.

Footsie holds on after rough night in Asia

The FTSE 100 Index held firm today despite another tumultuous session for markets in Asia.

Dwight Caines upped at Sony

Film News: Exec now oversees all digital marketing -- Dwight Caines has been upped to prexy of worldwide digital marketing at Sony Pictures Entertainment.

TVNZ VOD pacts for ABC shows

Business News: Disney-owned channel pacts with Ondemand -- The Asia Pacific arm of Disney-ABC Intl. Television has inked a deal with Kiwi pubcaster TVNZ to provide its skeins on its fledgling online delivery service TVNZ Ondemand.

Entertainment One gets credit

Business News: Company to receive $150 million -- Despite a global credit squeeze, Canada's Entertainment One has just received a four-year $150 million senior credit facility with a group of financial institutions led by JP Morgan. The facility leaves the Toronto-based distrib and producer poised for further growth. The other banks in the syndicate include Bank of America, Barclays and Toronto Dominion Bank.

Summit taps Kirkpatrick for post

Business News: Exec named president of worldwide marketing -- Summit Entertainment has tapped veteran exec Nancy Kirkpatrick prexy of worldwide marketing.

Peace stands behind 'The Line'

Business News: Group acquires rights to Canadian TV drama -- Peace Arch Entertainment Group has acquired distribution rights to upcoming TV series "The Line."

Schulman retiring as WB counsel

Business News: Legal guru had been with studio for 25 years -- John Schulman, Warner Bros. Entertainment general counsel and the reigning dean of studio legal eagles, is retiring after a 25-year career at the studio.

Entertainment League enters game

Business News: Former NBA exec start sports production unit -- The ranks of companies in Los Angeles focusing on sports production and marketing have added another player: Entertainment League Prods.

ITV's Paul Jackson exits

Business News: Exec returning to role as tube producer -- ITV director of entertainment Paul Jackson, former head of Granada America, is ankling at the end of the year to return to making programs.

ITV's Jackson exits

Business News: Exec returning to role as tube producer -- ITV director of entertainment Paul Jackson, former head of Granada America, is ankling at the end of the year to return to making programs.

PorchLight on for Sparky/Grimply piic

Film News: Companies team up for CGI 'Brothers' -- Singapore's Sparky Animation has pacted with Santa Monica-based PorchLight Entertainment and Scotland's Grimply Films to co-produce $22 million, CGI movie "The Grimpley Brothers."

Cheech Marin flies with 'Angel'

Film News: Actor to direct and star in comedy for HighRoad -- Cheech Marin will direct and star in the dramedy "Angel of Oxnard" for HighRoad Entertainment.

Women set Democratic fund-raiser

Business News: Voices taps David, Short, Garner to perform -- More then 50 women in the entertainment industry have organized an event to raise money for eight Democratic U.S. Senate candidates on Sept. 27, with a lineup of performances by Martin Short, Jennifer Garner and Larry David, among others.

Obama organizers campaign for cash

Business News: Hollywood donors race to raise money -- With the presidential race in a dead heat, Hollywood donors feverishly made last-minute calls to raise money for what could be Barack Obama’s final entertainment industry fund-raiser before the general election.

Susan Lyne named Gilt Groupe CEO

Business News: Former Martha Stewart chief to run online retailer -- Susan Lyne, former chief of ABC Entertainment and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, is bailing on the media sector in favor of running an online luxury goods retailer.

Historic Buildings' Modern Makeovers

Across Asia, developers are mixing old and modern. Singapore leads the charge with the renovation of neoclassical National Museum, and a luxury hotel around Tanah Merah.

Stone named a.d. of Tisch School

Film News: Director to advise on direction of campus -- Oliver Stone has been named the artistic director of NYU Tisch School of the Arts Asia.

Financial crisis 'far from over', says UK bank chief

The financial crisis is far from over but will take only a moderate toll on fast-growing emerging economies in Asia and elsewhere as they continue to boom in the years ahead, the chief executive of British bank Standard Chartered said today.

ASPA kudo gets double the entries

Film News: Organizers receive more than 180 films -- Selectors for the sophomore Asia Pacific Screen Awards will have to wade through twice as many candidates as the first kudosfest.

Vivendi off to 'Tennessee'

Film News: Film unit grabs rights to Aaron Woodley film -- Vivendi Entertainment has grabbed all U.S. rights to "Tennessee, " the latest pic from "Monster's Ball" producer Lee Daniels.

Reliance nabs major stake in Willow

Business News: Online business specializes in cricket -- In a further sign of its global ambitions, Indian media conglom Reliance Big Entertainment has acquired a majority stake in California-based Willow TV, which claims to be the world’s leading website for live streaming of cricket events.

Woman finds Red Stockings card from 1869

Somewhere amid her collection of worn jukeboxes and slot machines, a 72-year-old California woman recently discovered an antique worth saving: a rare baseball card of the first professional team in the United States.

Arkansas gives up two NCAA titles

Arkansas is vacating two national championships in track and field after the NCAA clarified how many points the Razorbacks needed to forfeit from the 2004 and 2005 men's outdoor meets for violations involving sprint star Tyson Gay.

TCU's Patterson agrees to extension through '14

TCU coach Gary Patterson has agreed to a new contract that runs through the 2014 season.

Ogilvy opens season with 67, lead

Geoff Ogilvy opened the PGA Tour season Thursday without making bogey on his way to a 6-under 67 and a one-shot lead in the Mercedes-Benz Championship, a score that only surprised him because of the location.

'Rampage' pleads guilty to felony evasion

Former mixed martial arts champion Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson has been ordered to complete community service for leading Costa Mesa police on a chase in which he rammed three cars.

Penguins lock up Staal, 20, through 2012-13

The Pittsburgh Penguins ended any debate about whether they should re-sign Jordan Staal, locking up the 20-year-old center with a $16 million, four-year contract on Thursday.

QB Marve can transfer to South Florida, UCF

Former Miami quarterback Robert Marve will be allowed to transfer to two schools within the state of Florida, but still can't switch to move to LSU, Tennessee or Florida.

Browns introduce Mangini

Eric Mangini, who began his NFL career as a ballboy for the Browns, was introduced as Cleveland's 12th full-time coach on Thursday, less than two weeks after he was fired by the New York Jets.

Ovechkin oversight righted with East choice

Less than a week after Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau called Alex Ovechkin's omission from the Eastern Conference's starting lineup 'dumb, ' the reigning NHL MVP was among 15 players picked Thursday to fill out the roster for the All-Star Game on Jan. 25 in Montreal.

Dodd: MWC

The message is clear for the Mountain West if it wants to gain an automatic berth for its champion into a BCS bowl. Keep it up.