GECs
AOLTW to shorten name by getting rid of AOL tag
MUMBAI: A little over two and a half years have gone by since internet company America Online merged with Time Warner. Now the chickens have come home to roost as far as the online unit is concerned.
AOL Time Warner is all set to get rid of the AOL moniker which has proven to be a source of embarrasement for the executives of Time Warner. A board meeting will take place tomorrow which is expected to put the name change into effect. While AOL’s boss Jon Miller has been arguing for a name change since last month all the problems stem from his division. As reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com in July while Time Warner reported strong second-quarter earnings AOL’s operating income was reduced by 23 per cent to $210 million from $247 million. AOL lost 846,000 subscribers in the quarter, more than analysts were expecting. Adding to Time Warner’s woes was the fact that the Securities and Exchange Commission found problems with AOL’s accounting of two deals with Germany’s Bertelsmann.
The company will now go back to its pre-merger stock ticker of TWX, change all its signs and corporate stationary. It will rename its new headquarters at Columbus Circle the Time Warner building. The company will start occupying the building in March.
Meanwhile a CNNmoney report indicates that since the merger the company has lost $200 billion of market value. Employees’ retirement accounts have been destroyed.
In related news despite negotiations to merge with BMG, AOL Time Warner is eyeing a sale of a majority stake in Warner Music to EMI. EMI made a $3.5 billion offer for Warner Music’s recorded music business earlier this year, but was rejected. The New York Post reports that there is market speculation that EMI’s sale of $243 million in convertible bonds was made to secure financing for another aim at Warner. Negotiations between Warner and BMG have slowed down because the two companies use different accounting methods.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
