Hollywood
Asianet to attend International Emmy jury in Hong Kong
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MUMBAI: Malayalam television network Asianet’s Programming vice president R Sreekandan Nair has been selected as a juror in the semi-finals judging for the 2005 International Emmy Awards. Nair will be judging the category of arts programming. |
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The awards, instituted by the New York-based the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, honour the best television programs produced, and initially aired, outside the U.S. The semi-final judging for arts programming will be held in Hong Kong on 12 August. Chinese broadcaster Phoenix TV is organising the event this year in Hong Kong. |
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The 2005 Emmy nominations will be officially announced at MIPCOM in early October this year. Being an Emmy juror, Nair will be listed in the yearly Almanac publication which is distributed at major media markets, festivals and semi-final judging centres throughout the world, says the official intimation Nair received from the academy.  In Asianet, Nair also anchors the weekly chat show Nammal Thammal. |
According to an official release from Asianet Communications, this is for the first time that a Malayalam television executive has been chosen to be a part of the prestigious international awards which is regarded as the Oscars for the television industry.
Hollywood
Paramount eyes $24bn Gulf support to fund Warner Bros Discovery merger: Reports
Sovereign funds line up funding as media giants chase streaming scale
NEW YORK: Paramount Skydance is in talks to secure nearly $24 billion in equity commitments from Gulf sovereign wealth funds to support its planned takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to a WSJ report.
The funding push comes as Paramount Skydance advances its proposed $110 billion deal for Warner Bros. Discovery, which carries an equity valuation of $81 billion and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
At the heart of the financing plan are three major Gulf investors. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is expected to contribute roughly $10 billion, while the Qatar Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi-based L’imad Holding are likely to make up the remainder.
Crucially, the proposed investments are structured as non-voting stakes. This means the Gulf backers would not have direct control in the combined entity, a move designed to ease regulatory concerns in the United States. Paramount executives reportedly do not expect the deal to trigger scrutiny from bodies such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States or the Federal Communications Commission.
If completed, the merger would bring together a formidable portfolio of entertainment and news assets, including CNN and CBS. The combined entity aims to better compete in a fast-evolving media landscape where streaming platforms are steadily pulling audiences away from traditional television.
The deal reflects a broader shift in global media, where scale is increasingly seen as essential to survive the streaming wars. By pooling content libraries, technology and distribution, Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery are betting on size and synergy to drive future growth.
The involvement of deep-pocketed Gulf investors also underscores the growing role of sovereign wealth in shaping global media consolidation, particularly at a time when high-value deals demand equally large financial backing.
With shareholder votes and regulatory milestones still ahead, the proposed tie-up remains one of the most closely watched media deals of the year. If it clears the final hurdles, it could redraw the competitive map of the global entertainment industry.
