Fremantle lines up Tahler and Valderrama

Fremantle Media Enterprises has appointed former Miramax executive Jeff Tahler to the newly created post of vice-president of acquisitions for North America.

At Miramax, Tahler was senior vice president of acquisitions and family entertainment, where he was responsible for acquiring a wide range of properties in development and forging relationships with overseas production companies.

Fremantle's vice president of programme distribution for North America, Lisa Honig, who has been handling the region's acquisitions, will now focus on sales and co-production opportunities.

Elsewhere, Fremantle Media North America has agreed a first-look deal with Wilmer Valderrama, star of US sitcom That 70's Show, to develop new projects in which he may star, as well as being executive producer with producing partner Danny Villa, former director of talent and series development at MTV.