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Exit stage left Avinash Kaul set to sign off from Network18
MUMBAI: When the credits roll, even the most seasoned showrunners know when it’s time to change the channel. Avinash Kaul, chief executive officer of Network18 (broadcast) and managing director of A+E networks, has resigned and is expected to move on from the Network18 group, sources said.
Kaul’s departure brings the curtain down on nearly 12 years with Network18 and a media career spanning over 26 years. Known for his strategic acumen and steady leadership, Kaul’s remit within the group was significantly expanded in August last year. At the time, he was entrusted with driving direct revenue growth across television, digital and print, while also continuing to strengthen ratings performance and overseeing key operating verticals across broadcast and print businesses.
During his tenure, Kaul reported to Rahul Joshi and played a central role in shaping Network18’s broadcast strategy through a period marked by intense competition and rapid shifts in audience behaviour.
Before joining Network18, Kaul served as chief executive officer of the television division at Bennett Coleman and Company Limited. Earlier chapters of his career saw him in senior leadership roles at Sahara One and NDTV, building a reputation as a calm operator with a sharp commercial instinct.
Widely respected across the media and broadcasting industry, Kaul has previously been recognised as CEO of the Year at the ENBA Awards, a reflection of his influence and standing within the sector.
While his next move is yet to be formally announced, Kaul’s exit marks the end of a significant chapter for Network18 and signals that one of Indian broadcasting’s most familiar executives is preparing for his next act.
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Paramount set to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in $81 billion deal
Shareholders back merger, combined entity could reshape streaming and studios.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… consolidation, Hollywood’s latest blockbuster might be happening off-screen. Shareholders of Warner Bros. Discovery have voted in favour of selling the company to Paramount in a deal valued at $81 billion rising to nearly $111 billion including debt setting the stage for one of the biggest shake-ups in modern media. The proposed merger, still subject to regulatory approvals, would bring together a vast portfolio spanning HBO Max, CNN, and franchises such as Harry Potter under the same umbrella as Paramount’s own heavyweights, including Top Gun and CBS.
At the heart of the deal is streaming scale. Executives have indicated plans to combine HBO Max and Paramount+ into a single platform, potentially creating a stronger challenger to giants like Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video. Current market data suggests HBO Max holds around 12 per cent of US on-demand subscriptions, compared to Paramount+’s 3 per cent, together still trailing Netflix’s 19 per cent and Disney’s combined 27 per cent via Disney+ and Hulu.
Paramount CEO David Ellison has signalled that while platforms may merge, HBO’s creative identity will remain intact, stating the brand should “stay HBO” even within a broader ecosystem.
Beyond streaming, the deal would redraw the map for film production. Combining two of Hollywood’s oldest studios Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros., the new entity aims to scale output to over 30 films annually, while maintaining a 45-day theatrical window. Warner Bros. currently commands around 21 per cent of the US box office, compared to Paramount’s 6 per cent, underscoring the strategic weight of the acquisition.
But scale comes with scrutiny. Critics warn that fewer players could mean reduced consumer choice, rising subscription costs, and potential job cuts as the combined company looks to streamline overlapping operations while managing billions in debt.
The news business, too, faces a reset. CNN would join forces at least structurally with Paramount-owned CBS, raising questions about editorial independence and positioning. The merger has already drawn political attention in the United States, particularly given perceived ties between the Ellison family and Donald Trump, though the company maintains that newsroom autonomy will be preserved.
If approved, the deal would mark another milestone in Hollywood’s consolidation wave shrinking the industry’s traditional “big six” studios to a “big four”, with Paramount joining Disney, Universal, and Sony at the top table.
In an industry built on storytelling, this merger may well become its most consequential plot twist yet.
