MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide Channels has announced that the latest series of motoring show ?Top Gear? will be coming to global television screens just days after the UK premiere transmission.

Kicking off with a new ?Top Gear? special in early 2012, series 18 will follow a maximum of 14 days after the UK transmission of the series on BBC Entertainment in India, Africa and Latin America and on BBC Knowledge in Poland and Asia.

BBC Worldwide Channels senior VP programming, TV channels David Weiland said, "It?s an important part of our programming strategy to bring as much of our acquired content to air as closely on our global network as it does in the UK. Top Gear is a hugely popular programme with viewers across all our territories and I?m delighted we are able to bring the latest series to them so close to the UK premiere transmission."

Sold to almost 200 territories worldwide, Top Gear achieves viewing figures of over six million viewers per episode when it premieres in the UK and is regularly the most downloaded programme on the BBC?s UK iPlayer, BBC Worldwide said. Since 2008, four international versions have been licensed by BBC Worldwide in Australia, Russia, China and the US.

MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Disney and UTH Russia have announced that the two companies will launch an ad-supported free-to-air Disney Channel in Russia early next year.

The broadly-distributed channel will appeal to families throughout Russia by featuring Disney?s popular signature programming, as well as original Russian content.

Disney president and CEO Robert A Iger said, "International expansion is a key strategic priority for our company and Disney Channel has proven to be invaluable in building the Disney brand around the world. We are excited about increasing Disney Channel?s presence in Russia and delivering exceptional family entertainment to this important growth market."

Under the terms of the agreement, Disney, through one of its subsidiaries, will acquire a 49 per cent stake in the Seven TV network from UTH Russia. The new Disney Channel will replace the current branding and programming of Seven TV.

Disney MD in Russia Marina Jigalova-Ozkan added, "Disney Channel became one of the most popular and beloved cable channels in Russia. We are very happy that together with such a reliable and respectful partner as UTH Disney will bring high-quality family entertainment to every family in Russia."

At launch, the channel will reach approximately 40 million households, which represents more than 75 per cent of the measured audience in Russia. Disney Channel will air on broadcast stations in 54 large urban markets, including Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as hundreds of rural and remote cities and towns nationwide through other distribution agreements.

UTH Russia CEO Ivan Tavrin said, "We believe that our partnership with The Walt Disney Company, the global entertainment leader, will establish a popular and highly successful free-to-air business. The infrastructure and technical foundation of UTH in combination with Disney?s unique brand and global expertise will deliver excellent results for the Disney Channel in Russia. Seven TV?s transformation from sports to general entertainment in 2010 helped us to significantly improve its ratings and financial results, now it is time for a new page in the network?s history. I am confident about the success of the Disney Channel and our long term partnership with The Walt Disney Company."

Alisher Usmanov, a UTH shareholder and major Internet and media investor in Russia said, "We expect the family channel combining the best Disney programming with original Russian TV shows will be of great interest to the audience. We are excited that our partner, one of the world?s largest media companies, believes in the Russian market and our company."

Disney Channels Worldwide is comprised of 100 channels in 35 languages reaching 325 million unduplicated households globally.

MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide has sold natural history epic ?Frozen Planet? to 12 international broadcasters.

The landmark series, produced by Alastair Fothergill at the BBC?s Natural History Unit and narrated by naturalist Sir David Attenborough, has been acquired by Australia (Nine Network), Japan (NHK), Belgium (VRT), Finland (YLE), South Africa (BBC Knowledge), New Zealand (TVNZ), Netherlands (NPO), Italy (RAI), Denmark (DR), Norway (NRK), Russia (Channel 1) and Sweden (SVT) and will be on offer to buyers at next week?s television trade event Mipcom in Cannes, France.

BBC Worldwide Sales and Distribution president, MD Steve Macallister said, "BBC Worldwide has a long history of bringing to market the most captivating, and spectacular natural history series in the world. Frozen Planet, the latest offering from BBC Earth is nothing short of phenomenal and it?s no surprise to me that so many broadcasters have snapped it up before it has even gone to air."

Joining Frozen Planet on the natural history slate at Micpom is another series, ?Great Barrier Reef?. From the producer behind ?Wild China? and ?Planet Earth?, the series offers a definitive guide to the Australian reef, investigating how the reef was created, how it works, the intricate relationships between its inhabitants and how climate change and other factors might shape its future.

?John Downer?s Earthflight? will also wing its way to Cannes. More than three years in the making, the series shows viewers astonishing aerial images of the world as seen by migrating birds. In addition, inquisitive natural history series How Life Works uses cutting-edge technology to discover the secrets of our most crucial habitats and reveal why they are so special.

In science, Planet Dinosaur presents a brand-new global perspective on the prehistoric era. Using unique hi-tech graphics to bring to life the most awesome and amazing creatures that ever lived, the series is a completely immersive visual experience studded with curious facts and jaw-dropping action from the charismatic monsters.

Also fresh are ?How Plants Made Us?, a series offering a perspective on Earth history and ?Origins of Us?, which explores the anatomical changes that have given us, and our ancestors, the edge.