FX buys cable rights to Universal slate

LOS ANGELES - FX Network inked a deal Wednesday to buy the basic cable television rights to more than a dozen movies released by Universal Pictures this year.

The deal by the News Corp. cable channel is estimated to cost about $100 million and cover about 15 movies, but those figures may change depending upon how the films fare at the box office.

The package includes already-released films "Jarhead" and "Definitely, Maybe" and upcoming movies like the third installment in "The Mummy" series due this summer and "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."

Universal, a unit of General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal, said the deal is the first time the studio sold such a large slate of films to a basic cable channel.

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Metro-Goldwyn agrees entertainment projects in UAE

ABU DHABI (Reuters) -
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc and
Jordan-based Rubicon agreed to develop entertainment facilities
with Abu Dhabi-based Sorouh Real Estate in the United Arab
Emirates, the companies said on Thursday.

The first project will mix Western and Middle East cultures
and traditions, they said in a joint statement, without giving
details.

"It is our hope this partnership will enhance Sorouh's
position to further cement Abu Dhabi's reputation as a leading
tourism and lifestyle destination," Sorouh Vice Chairman
Mohammed Khalaf al-Mazrouei said in the statement.

Emirates Business newspaper, citing Daily Variety magazine,
said the projects will cost as much as $1 billion to develop.

Sorouh is developing 45 billion dirhams ($12.25 billion) of
real estate projects in Abu Dhabi as the emirate seeks to use
its record oil wealth to diversify its economy into tourism and
business.

Last year, Sorouh's biggest Abu Dhabi rival, Aldar
Properties, agreed with Warner Bros Entertainment to set up a
film and video-game production company that includes
development of a theme park, hotels and cinemas.

(Writing by John Irish and James Cordahi; Editing by
Michael Urquhart)

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Nokia talks to major labels about music service: report

HELSINKI (Reuters) -
Nokia is in talks with all the major
music labels to sell their songs through its "Comes With Music"
service, expected to be launched later this year, a company
executive told the Financial Times on Thursday.

"We have negotiations and discussions ongoing with all the
majors and a number of indies as well," Anssi Vanjoki, Nokia's
executive vice-president, told the Financial Times. "Certainly
our target is to have other labels on board."

Nokia said in December it would offer unlimited music from
at least Universal Music Group for buyers of certain Nokia
devices.

The world's top mobile phone maker was well placed to
weather the economic downturn, Vanjoki also told the Financial
Times.

(Reporting by Sakari Suoninen; Editing by David Holmes)

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