UFA’s Nico Hofmann Steps Down As CEO Of German Production Powerhouse, Becomes Chair

The search for a missing German aircraft that lost contact over the North Sea has been stood down.

Marco Chimenz, Co-CEO of Italy’s Cattleya the prominent ITV-owned outfit behind “Gomorrah” and “ZeroZeroZero,” will be leaving the company in January to join pan-European powerhouse Federation Studios. At Federation Chimenz will serve as group co-managing director of the expanding production and distribution studio that currently comprises 35 production companies, working closely with founder and CEO Pascal Breton and Federation co-director Lionel Uzan.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor TV veteran Campbell Brown, after heading Meta‘s news and media partnerships for almost seven years, is departing the internet giant this fall. In a note to staff Tuesday, Brown said she will share additional details in the coming weeks about her next role, but that she will “remain affiliated with Meta in a new consultant capacity,” according to Axios, which first reported her exit. A Meta spokesperson said the team headed by Campbell will be moved over to existing teams focused on media and sports partnerships development and operations.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Pierre Branco, general manager for Warner Bros. Discovery in France, Benelux and Africa, is stepping down from his position, Variety has learned.

Leonine Studios founder and CEO Fred Kogel has said he does not expect his Germany-focused content group to expand much more in the near future, after four years of rapid and continuous growth.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Amy Israel, the head of scripted at Showtime, is stepping down, Variety has learned. Israel’s formal title is executive vice president of global programming. She will remain with Showtime through the end of the year in a transitional role.

Ed Meza @edmezavar The Zurich Film Festival boasts a strong lineup of international films, among them Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro,” Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things” and Emerald Fennell’s “Saltburn,” and high-profile guests that include Jessica Chastain, Diane Kruger, Ethan Hawke, Todd Haynes and Wim Wenders. The ZFF this year screens a record number of world and European premieres — 52 from a total of 148. Another 52 films are debut works.

Nicola Roberts has opened up on the heartbreaking loss of Sarah Harding, almost two years on from her death. The Girls Aloud star died in September 2021 from breast cancer and two years on from the star’s death, her bandmate Nicola has opened up on the grief she feels. Fighting back tears on Good Morning Britain, Nicola shared how she feels that Sarah’s death is “not really that real” to her, as she imagines she’s still out there enjoying life.

Warner Bros Discovery has confirmed it plans a major expansion of its Leavesden studio lot, with the UK location set to become the epicenter of DC Studios production.

Tatiana Siegel At a posh party held at a downtown Manhattan brownstone on Wednesday night, notable journalists like Carl Bernstein and the New York Times’ op-ed columnist Michelle Goldberg converged to toast Michael Wolff’s upcoming book, “The Fall: The End of Fox News and the Murdoch Dynasty.” The timing couldn’t have been more apt given that the author foretold what would happen hours later with Rupert Murdoch’s surprise announcement that he was stepping down from the head of Fox Corp. and News Corp. “It is unsustainable,” Wolff said of the Murdoch era that relied on the Donald Trump ratings juggernaut.

Rupert Murdoch, the 92-year-old Australian media magnate whose creation of Fox News made him a force in American politics, is stepping down as leader of both Fox’s parent company and his News Corp. media holdings.

Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch is step down as chairman of his Fox and News Corp businesses, the firms said in a statement.

Rupert Murdoch, whose sheer force of will allowed him to build a media empire that influenced the course of national politics in the U.S., U.K. and Australia, will step down as the titular head of the companies he controls, Fox Corp. and News Corp.– a move that could raise new questions about the fates of both assets.

Rupert Murdoch is stepping down.

Sky CEO Dana Strong has said she is “optimistic” that the company’s UK unit can keep hold of HBO content when its deal with Warner Bros. Discovery comes up for renewal in 2026.

Bero Beyer is to step down as CEO of the Netherlands Film Fund.

Ashton Kutcher takes another hit!

After being hit with criticism for writing letters of support for rapist Danny Masterson, Ashton Kutcher has stepped down from the anti-child sex abuse organisation he co-founded.The actor, 45, and his wife Mila Kunis recently apologised for writing letters to attest Danny's character. Danny was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison on Thursday 7 September following his conviction for two counts of rape.

Ashton Kutcher has stepped down as Chairman of the Board of Thorn, a group that fights child sex abuse that he co-founded over a decade ago with then-wife Demi Moore.