MAM
Toon cricket 2003 offers trip to S Africa
MUMBAI: It is once again time to play cricket with your favourite cartoon characters. The tongue in cheek battle royale Toon Cricket 2003 takes place in Mumbai on 23 February at the Andheri Sports Complex.
There will be two matches, one from 11 am – 1 pm and another from 4 – 6 pm. To boost the initiative through interactivity, the channel has organised an on-air contest Whose Side Are You On? Viewers can vote for their team through mail or by logging on to www.CartoonNetworkIndia.com and win special Toon Cricket 2003 merchandise including caps, T-shirts, miniature bat and balls. Also, keeping in mind the fact that South Africa has suddenly become an attractive tourist destination with the World Cup, the channel has also announced that one winner gets an all expense paid trip for two to Safari land. The contest ends on 14 February.
Entry to the channel’s biggest marketing initiative for the year is by passes only, which can be collected in a number of ways. Kids can participate in the on-air contest, by logging on to www.CartoonNetworkIndia.com and answering online questions, winning on-the-spot competitions being held during the pre-promotion activities or from select McDonald’s outlets in Mumbai.
From 18-22 February, the Toon Mobile, a 17-feet open float designed to depict real-life net sessions for the match, will tour Mumbai to distribute event passes. In addition to visiting high traffic venues, the Toon Cricket Mobile will also visit select schools in the city. As was the case last year, some of the toon cricketers will be seen conducting net practice on board the Toon Mobile.
In a battle between Good and Evil, the infamous Mojo Jojo, captain of the Rule The World team has challenged Fred Flintstone to a battle for the ultimate prize – the control of Cartoon Network. Mojo Jojo has selected Dexter, Tom, Popeye and Johnny Bravo to help him on his mission. Fred Flintstone will lead the Save The World team comprising Scooby-Doo, Dino, Dee Dee and Jerry.
Toonheads can also log on to CartoonNetworkIndia.com and watch video clips of last year’s match.
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.
