MAM
NatureFresh promotes food security in new campaign
MUMBAI: On the occasion of Human Rights Day, NatureFresh Sampoorna Chakki Atta, a product from Cargill in India is promoting food security with its new brand campaign #NoKhaaliPet.
Food security as per the food and agriculture organisation (FAO) is defined “when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.”
However, as per statistics, over 200 million Indians go to sleep hungry every day. In fact, about 10 million people die every year of chronic hunger and hunger-related diseases. In this context and given the fact that Cargill’s purpose is to nourish the world, NatureFresh Sampoorna Chakki Atta took a definitive step towards this cause with #NoKhaaliPet campaign igniting a moment where everyone comes together to work towards fulfilling one of the basic needs of our society.
Cargill managing director of food business India Deoki Muchhal says, “This campaign blends in seamlessly with the ethos of the brand, which lies in nourishing people by providing the ‘best of nature’. The statistics related to hunger-related issues is very disheartening and the cause is very close to our hearts. On the occasion of Human Right’s Day with the #NoKhaaliPet initiative, we aim to make a difference and invite stakeholders to contribute towards eradicating hunger from our country.”
The brand has partnered with Akshaya Patra, a leading NGO that runs school lunch programme across India. The campaign spread across 15 days encouraged consumers to give a missed call on 7290-927-927 to support the cause. Along with this, they made contributions starting from the cost of one meal, Rs 5, on Akshaya Patra and NoKhaaliPet collaborated online platform. For each missed call, NatureFresh donated atta to Akshaya Patra for a midday meal with a commitment of at least 10,000 kg.
The campaign had a digital element to it as well, with a special video created to draw attention to the cause. The video has received four lakh views in a period of two days. Within three days from the start of the campaign, the number of missed calls crossed 5000. The campaign was concluded with on-ground events in Delhi and Mumbai, where children came together with NatureFresh Sampoorna Chakki Atta to raise further awareness for the cause.
MAM
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.
