MAM
Tobacco ads surface in May issues of some mags
MUMBAI: More than a week after the ban on tobacco advertising came into effect, there still seems to be confusion and uncertainty over the dos and don’ts of the ban. Another debate that has risen around the issue is that of the presence of full page colour ads of tobacco products like Gopal Zarda and Babul Zafrani Zarda in the May issues of magazines like Filmfare and Chitralekha.
The Gopal Zarda ad in question in Chitralekha’s 3 May issueThe argument that the concerned magazines put forth was that their magazine issue hit the stands almost 10 days before the date of issue which is printed on the magazine. Speaking to indiantelevision.com, Chitralekha’s chief editor Bharat Kapadia explained, “Our 3 May issue which carried the tobacco ads was closed in April and hit the stands on 24 April itself. The magazine issue is dated for our convenience only.” Kapadia further said that the ban was on the advertisers restraining them from advertising their product and not on the media.
Chitralekha’s one full page colour ad cost Rs 72,500 and with the ban coming into effect the magazine will undergo a revenue loss of almost Rs 4.2 – 4.5 million. “We cannot help the loss of revenue with the implementation of the ban. While there is no substitute for tobacco products, we will try and expand our base to cover up for the loss,” said Kapadia. Keeping aside the ban that will monetarily affect him and his magazine, Kapadia who is the chairman of the Advertising Standards Council (ASC) of India is personally in favour of the ban and is happy that it has finally come into effect.
The Babul Zarda ad in the May issue of Filmfare magazine
While no official statement was forthcoming from Filmfare; sources in the magazine did reveal the same as Kapadia that the May issue of Filmfare had already hit the stands in mid-April. A full page colour ad in Filmfare costs as much as Rs 1,40,000. So the loss of revenue can be well imagined.
On the other hand an unforthcoming Outlook vice president advertising R Rajmohan when queried about how stringent the ban seemed to be considering the fact that May issues of some magazines carry such ads said, “I cannot comment on this as I haven’t seen the magazines you are referring to.” When questioned further about Outlook’s policy on the ban Rajmohan said matter of factly, “We will not carry any ads which are banned.”
In the wake of this, it may also be recalled that indiantelevision.com had earlier reported on how the Indian government which brought about this ban on promotional activities of tobacco and tobacco-related products was clueless about the effective implementation and monitoring of the ban and still doesn’t have a proper mechanism in place for the same.
Also notable is the fact that Chitralekha’s website www.chitralekha.com hosted a cricket contest during the Indo Pak cricket series called ‘Live from Pakistan’ Cricket IQ series which was sponsored by Babul Zarda (which can still be seen on the website). While this particular contest does not violate any rules since it took place before the ban was implemented, it is a matter of debate whether the ads in the May issue of the magazines breach the law or not.
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.
