Global Showbiz Briefs: Environmental Media Awards Scribes, Phone-Hacking Lawsuits, Australian Cinema Woes, RealD In Russia

Phil Rosenthal, David Wild To Pen 2012 Environmental Media Awards
The Environmental Media Association says Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal and TV writer David Wild will team up to pen the 22nd annual Environmental Media Awards. The pair first worked together on America: A Tribute To Heroes telethon in 2001. Wild's TV writing credits include the Grammy Awards and The Primetime Emmy Awards. Rosenthal directed and stars in the feature documentary Exporting Raymond. The awards will be held September 29 at Warner Bros Studios in Burbank.

Russell Brand, Christopher Eccleston Sue Over Phone-Hacking
Russell Brand and Christopher Eccleston have added their names to the list of News Of The World litigants. News Corp's News International, which published the now-defunct paper, is now facing about 174 invasion of privacy claims over alleged phone-hacking claims. Those cases are expected to go to trial next year, The Guardian reports. Along with the British actors, there are politicians, local TV personalities and the filmmaker Christopher Terrill.

Gloomy Outlook for Australian Cinema Business
The U.S. studios have long viewed Australia as a healthy and growing theatrical market but may have to lower their expectations. Market researcher IBISWorld forecasts Australian exhibition revenues including concession sales will fall by 2.2% to $A1.75B ($1.82B) in the year to June 2013. The firm projects the industry will average just 1.4% growth over the next five years, reaching $1.88B in 2017-2018, as cinemas face increasing competition from digital pay-TV services, film piracy, the contraction of windows between theatrical and DVD and more people watching films on home theater systems. It notes Australia is over-supplied with cinema screens and it expects exhibitors' profit margins to remain flat in the next five years as subdued demand limits their ability to raise ticket prices. ' Don Groves

RealD Planting Flag In Russia
RealD will open its first office in Russia, the technology company said Tuesday. The Moscow base will get up and running later this month and will focus on sales, customer service, exhibitor relations and operations for the company's 3D Cinema Division. According to RealD, the Russian 3D market continues to grow with the number of 3D enabled screens increasing by more than 200% over the 24 month period from June 2010 through June 2012, according to IHS Screen Digest. Total cinema box office in Russia increased to more than $1.1 billion in 2011, a record for the Russian market.