MUMBAI: The KIA X Games Asia (KXG), an action sports competition, will take place in Shanghai for its sixth consecutive year from 28 April to 1 May.

150 athletes from more than 30 countries will be engaged in world-class competition in the sports of Skateboard, BMX, Aggressive In-Line Skate and Moto X Big Air demonstrations. This year?s competitors and spectators can also look forward to an added challenge with a newly designed street course that is expected to provide a treat for spectators.

The event will be organised by ESPN Star Sports? (ESS) event management and ESPN X Games with title sponsor Kia Motors. Participants will include seven-time X Games Skateboard gold medallist Pierre-Luc Gagnon, who will attempt to win his third Mini-MegaRamp title in just as many years. Accompanying him is eight-time gold medallist Andy Macdonald and two-time gold medallist Sandro Dias. Headlining a BMX field are four-time X Games gold medallist Kevin Robinson, three-time gold medallist Chad Kagy, nine-time medallist Simon Tabron, six-time medallist Steven McCann and two-time X Games Asia gold medallist Vince Byron.

Meanwhile, Japan?s Takeshi Yasutoko will attempt to win an unprecedented sixth-consecutive gold medal in the Aggressive Inline Vert ? one for each year the competition has been held in Shanghai.

Last year?s event saw attendance records set yet again for a fifth consecutive year with 62,100 spectators over the course of four days of competition. Since 2007, the KIA X Games Asia has attracted more than 261,700 visitors and is expected to draw another large crowd this year in Shanghai.

Additionally, the event will be telecast on ESPN International networks in the U.S., Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East and Africa.

ESS VP, event management Harvey Davis said, ?We are delighted to see KIA X Games Asia establish itself as an iconic sports event with our sponsors and being the Year of the Dragon, we are looking forward to another successful edition in Shanghai. The event has grown spectacularly over the years and this year again will feature an outstanding list of world-class athletes across all competitions. We look forward to showcasing another exhilarating event to our fans in Shanghai?.

Mumbai: Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) The Americas has announced the broadcast launch of Comedy Central Latin America across the region starting 1 February.

The announcement was made by Vimn MD The Americas Sofia Ioannou at the annual conference and exhibition of the National Association of Television Program Executives (Natpe),

The global, multiplatform entertainment brand includes standard and high-definition channels, on-demand video, mobile services and a strong online component, which was unveiled in November 2011 to wide acclaim.

The initial phase of the on-air launch, with a distribution of 10 million subscribers across the region, includes key markets in Latin America, like Mexico through Cablevision Mexico and affiliated PCTV Systems (Productora y Comercializadora de Television por Cable S.A de CV); Sky, Via Embratel, OiTV and Neo TV in Brazil; as well as coverage in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Venezuela.

Ioannou said, "VIMN?s mission is to take world class brands and content and deliver them in culturally and geographically relevant ways, and the launch of Comedy Central in Latin America is the latest example of this. This strategy strengthens the ongoing dialogue we have with our clients and affiliates in the region and broadens our portfolio to now include a new, multi-platform, comedy entertainment brand for the young-adult demo."

The new pan-regional comedy entertainment brand will present content, including US programming from Comedy Central, acquisitions, original programming, stand-up, local productions, sketches, animation, series and movies.

The channel will be able available in both Spanish and Portuguese for their respective markets and offer the adult audience a fun and enjoyable entertainment experience with internationally renowned series, such as ?Happily Divorced?, ?The Exes, ?South Park?, as well original productions like ?La Familia del Barrio? and ?The Spooky Show?.

MUMBAI: HBO Asia has done a deal with Content Television and has picked up the rights for crime thriller ?Thorne?.

Based on the bestselling novels by Mark Billingham and starring David Morrissey (State of Play), Natascha McElhone (Californication) and Sandra Oh (Grey?s Anatomy), ?Thorne: Sleepyhead? and ?Thorne: Scaredy Cat? have been acquired for broadcast throughout Asia next year.

This latest deal takes the total number of territories licensing the drama to more than 145.

HBO Asia senior VP, marketing, creative and content Magdalene Ew said, "We are pleased to acquire Thorne from Content Television. Available first and exclusively in Asia on HBO Asia?s network of channels, this crime thriller drama franchise will add to our diverse content offerings."

Content Television VP sales, Latin America and Asia Diana Zakis added, "We are pleased to have Thorne debut with HBO in Asia while continuing to attract deals in numerous territories. The demand for high quality crime drama remains strong in the international marketplace and Thorne has all the hallmarks of a globally successful title, with its internationally renowned cast, easily translatable storylines and proven ratings success."

Thorne stars Morrissey as Detective Inspector Tom Thorne, a character, scarred both inside and out by the cases of his past, whose headstrong investigations have won him few friends within the force. The drama also stars Eddie Marsan (Sherlock Holmes) and Aidan Gillen (The Wire).