MAM
Future lies in internet and wireless: Time Warner’s Parsons
MUMBAI: Global media giants have suddenly got serious about internet. The mood is reflected in the recent buys News Corp and Viacom have done, gobbling up internet assets like mySpace.com, propertyfinder.com, Neopets and iFilm at valuations that have surprised many.
Drawing inspiration from its rivals’ aggressive internet strategies, Time Warner’s chairman-CEO Richard Parsons refuses to jettison his plans on the internet and wireless front. Irrespective of the fact that Time Warner burnt its fingers with its 2001 merger with America Online Limited (AOL), Parsons feels the convergence of traditional media and the Internet is inevitable with online advertising holding an “exciting potential”.
“We are the only media company with a major stake in the Internet”, Parsons said during an interview with New Yorker media columnist Ken Auletta. However, he acknowledged the ongoing talks with competitors to sell off a stake in AOL. According to Parsons, Microsoft, Yahoo and a partnership of Google and Comcast have expressed interest in buying or partnering with AOL in recent weeks.
Parsons expressed Time Warner’s interest in retaining some control over the division even if a deal goes through. “We want to help our other companies to take advantage of the Internet and it would be easier if we retained part of AOL after a deal goes through,” he said during the interview.
When queried by Auletta about areas where Time Warner was not active presently, Parsons singled out Wireless and gaming. “Games online and computer games are becoming a huge, huge business, with young males aging 18 to 35.”
Parsons hinted at Time Warner’s plans to attempt some acquisitions or deals on the wireless front. The company has already made its foray into wireless as it joined Comcast, Cox and Brighthouse in a wireless-cable venture with Sprint Nextel to develop a way for consumers to watch cable TV through their cell phone
MUMBAI: He may have clocked the fastest time on track, but Usain Bolt is now sprinting straight into cricket fandom again. The eight-time Olympic medallist has returned to spotlight his long-standing support for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, featuring in sportswear giant PUMA India’s latest #RCBEverywhere campaign. Dressed in the 2026 RCB jersey, Bolt shared the moment on social media, pairing it with a throwback to the kit he first received in 2021 marking a fandom that has only gathered pace since.
A self-confessed cricket enthusiast and admirer of Virat Kohli, Bolt’s association with RCB has evolved through Puma’s global athlete ecosystem. The brand, which has partnered with Bolt for over two decades, is now leveraging his cross-sport appeal to amplify RCB’s already global fan culture.
The campaign builds on a behaviour that fans have long embraced taking the jersey beyond stadiums and scales it with one of the most recognisable athletes in the world. Bolt’s earlier appearance alongside Kohli and RCB players in a viral reel last year further cemented his status as an unlikely yet enthusiastic member of the RCB faithful.
With #RCBEverywhere, Puma is not just selling merchandise, it is exporting fandom. The campaign invites supporters to join the movement, with opportunities to win match shirts and tickets, while participating in a global conversation that now stretches far beyond Bengaluru.
From Olympic tracks to IPL terraces, Bolt’s latest cameo proves one thing, speed may be his signature, but fandom travels just as fast.
