Rhapsody ropes Napster Intl. into fold

Rhapsody is entering Europe. The music activity-streaming service has acquired Napster Intl., which will particularly expand their footprint in Germany as well as the U.K -- both important beachheads because the organization joins the larger fight for worldwide auds. Move follows the October 2011 acquisition by Rhapsody of Napster's U.S. methods from Biggest Score, finishing one of the primary major purchases of just one streaming service by another. "Purchasing of Napster which is subscriber base inside the U.K. and Germany provides an ideal admittance to the eu market," mentioned Rhapsody prexy Jon Irwin in the statement. "Through the benefit of scale, the potency of our editorial programming and proper partners, we could now bring the Napster intend to a lot more clients on numerous platforms." The overseas move by Rhapsody has come about as levels of competition are rising among digital music companies, with U.S. service Rdio getting launched in Germany captured. The U.S. launch of Spotify as well as the IPO from the planet the planet pandora this season (along with the launch of Amazon . com . com Cloud Player, Sony's Music Unlimited and Google Music) have formerly done much to redraw the domestic playing area. The expansion rate of streaming music services is large. The Intl. Federation in the Phonographic Industry mentioned subscription services elevated to 13.4 million clients this season from 8.2 million this season -- a 65% increase. Major worldwide music services have arrived at 58 nations, up from 23 this past year. Worldwide music fanatics are implementing the streaming services a lot more than U.S. audiences, too. In Sweden, the birthplace of Spotify, streaming sites taken care of for 84% of digital revenues inside the first 10 several days of 2011, mentioned the IFPI. Other areas saw similar spikes in subscription revenues. France, for example, saw an increase rate more than 90% inside the first 11 several days of 2011. Launched in 2001, Rhapsody might be the greatest premium subscription music streaming service inside the U.S., boasting greater than millions of needing to pay people. Though the entry of Spotify together with other global services, the business remains pressurized. (Spotify claims 2.5 million needing to pay folks 13 nations.) Napster, having a, remains most broadly noted for beginning off digital music revolution by enabling peer-to-peer talking about of MP3 files at the begining of part of the decade. Almost all that talking about was of unlicensed copies of tunes, nevertheless the site was later retooled just like a music streaming service. The title recognition remains strong, though, specifically in Europe. Consequently, Rhapsody are not committed to get rid of the Napster title since it did inside the U.S. Clients will probably be migrated for the awesome product in March. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Pilot Season: CBS Orders Comedy in the Muppets's Nick Stoller

Nick Stoller CBS is joining using the Muppets co-author and Nick Stoller on the new comedy series. The network has purchased an untitled single-camera project loosely according to Stoller's real-existence encounters. The comedy would center around a twenty-something guy who will get his heart damaged by his girlfriend simply to find yourself working one cubicle from her in an ad agency. Obtain the latest news on all of the pilot pick-ups here Stoller, who co-authored The Muppets with The Way I Met Your Mother's Jason Segel, got his break on Undeclared before moving to film. Younger crowd directed Segel's Failing to remember Sarah Marshall. Katherine Pope and Peter Chernin will also be attached as executive producers.

'Dark Dark night Rises' clocks most L.A. shooting days

Expect if Warner Bros.' "The Dark Dark night Increases" includes a La type of turn to it if this opens This summer 20. Christopher Nolan's third Batpic produced probably the most shooting activity among features lensed around the roads of La this past year with 249 allowed days, based on figures provided Tuesday through the FilmL.A. enabling agency. ABC's "Private Practice" was the most popular TV series with 424 days. "The Dark Dark night Increases," for auction on permits as "Magnus Rex," compiled six consecutive days throughout the late summer time and early fall because the leading offlot feature production. Most of the locations used throughout the Batshoot were in central La such as the La River, underneath the sixth Street Bridge Dominguez Funnel near El Camino College Grand Avenue downtown Figueroa and fourth Street downtown 830 S. Hill in the Broadway Trade Center and Frank Court Alley between sixth and seventh roads. Dreamworks' family drama "Thanks for visiting People" totalled the 2nd greatest degree of feature production activity in La with 224 days. Release date has not been set yet for that pic, directed by Alex Kurtzman and starring Chris Pine, Olivia Wilde, Elizabeth Banks, Michelle Pfeiffer and Mark Duplass. "Sports Camping" was third-most active feature with 156 days adopted "Neighbors" and Judd Apatow's comedy "This really is 40." Hollywood's offlot manufacture of features rose 5.7% this past year to five,682 days. Around the TV side, "Private Practice" easily capped E! Entertainment's "How Do You Look with 329 days and "Skinny" with 295, "Southland" with 267 and "The Braxtons" with 247. Television -- the biggest element of offlot production -- rejected by 5.7%, or nearly 500 days, this past year to 17,349 days. Overall production a week ago rejected 6% in the same frame this year to 610 days as TV slid 17% to 332 days with "Southland" because the top program with 29 days. Other shows shooting in your area include "513," "CSI: NY," "Private Practice," "Touch," "1000 Methods to Die," "Hot Wheels/Angels," "Q Viva The Selected," "Modern Family," "New Girl" and "Parks & Entertainment."Features leaped 30% a week ago to 93 days with indie "Black Forest" because the most active with 29 days. Other film projects include "Awakened," "5 Year Engagement," "I'll Follow You In To The Dark," "Retribution" and "The Change." Spots rejected slightly by six days to 185 having a Chrysler shoot probably the most active with six days. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Hallmark ends Martha Stewart run

Martha Stewarts show, which is expensive to produce, will not continue on Hallmark Channel past the end of summer. "The Martha Stewart Show" is unlikely to be on the air past this summer, according to sources. The news was first reported by the NY Post. For a while, it seemed the Hallmark Channel was practically becoming the Martha Stewart Network, but the lifestyle guru's live show, which debuted six years ago, is set to cease production in April and will likely not remain on the air past the end of summer. The network and Stewart's company said only that the program was confirmed to finish out the summer and that "MSLO and Hallmark Channel are in discussions about potential new programming and concepts for daytime," but those options will have to be more cost-effective than the current model. The show is reportedly very expensive to produce, and the ratings gains Hallmark has seen on the program don't justify its continued existence. The block of programming being debated includes "Emeril's Table," "Mad Hungry" and "Martha Bakes." The network still plans to focus on lifestyle programming during the daytime, but with the pricey lease on the "Martha Stewart" studio set to expire this year, expect a very different slate to be presented to advertisers come upfront season. Contact Sam Thielman at sam.thielman@variety.com

Keck's Exclusives: Modern Family Moves Forward With Adoption Story

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet Ask Keck: Has Modern Family dropped the story line with Cameron and Mitchell trying to have another baby? -Spencer Green, Delmar, NYThey haven't, insists executive producer Christopher Lloyd. "The next funny, and hopefully moving, chapters are on the way," he says. "The reality is this doesn't happen overnight. We have one episode where they find a pregnant girl who wants to make sure they are the right dads for her child. Because the baby's biological father was musical, she wants to make sure Cam and Mitch are musical as well, so they have to audition for her."Another episode will find the boys flirting with the idea of asking a relative to serve as their surrogate mother. Gotta be Gloria, right?Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!