Hollywood
BAFTA names Krishnendu Majumdar as TV Committee chair
MUMBAI: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has named the newly elected chairs and deputy chairs of its Sector Committees (Film, Television and Games), who will also sit on the Academy’s Board of Trustees.
Krishnendu Majumdar has been elected as chair of the Television Committee alongside Emma Morgan, who has been elected as deputy chair.
Majumdar is an award-winning producer and director and was trained on the BBC Production Trainee scheme, the ITN News Trainee scheme and the BBC Drama Series Directors Academy. He is the co-founder of an independent production company called Me + You Productions with partner Richard Yee and is developing a slate of factual, comedy and drama projects.
On the other hand, Pippa Harris has been elected as chair of the Film Committee, having held the position of deputy chair for four years. Pippa serves alongside Marc Samuelson, who has been elected as deputy chair.
Harvey Elliott enters the second half of his two-year term as chair of the Games Committee. All Sector Committee chairs and deputy chairs are directors of the Academy, and sit on the Board of Trustees.
Anne Morrison continues as chair of the Academy for the remainder of her two-year term alongside Jane Lush, who was elected to deputy chair earlier this month.
BAFTA chief operating officer Kevin Price said, “I’m delighted to welcome three new members to our Board of Trustees as a result of our recent Sector Committee elections this month. These committees – Film, Television and Games – represent a BAFTA membership of around 7,500 industry professionals and experienced practitioners in the UK and around the world, and they help us, as an Academy, develop and promote the art forms of the moving image, inspire practitioners and benefit the public.”
BAFTA’s Board of Trustees comprises:
• Chair of the Academy: Anne Morrison
• Deputy chair of the Academy: Jane Lush
• Chair, Film Committee: Pippa Harris
• Deputy Chair, Film Committee: Marc Samuelson
• Chair, Television Committee: Krishnendu Majumdar
• Deputy Chair, Television Committee: Emma Morgan
• Chair, Games Committee: Harvey Elliott
• Chair, Learning & Events Committee: Sara Putt
• Two co-opted Trustees: Medwyn Jones, Samir Shah
Samuelson, Majumdar and Morgan are new Board members in 2015.
BAFTA’s Sector Committees recommend to the Board of Trustees how best to carry out the Academy’s mission in their respective industry sectors, while the Board itself manages the business of the Academy and is the ultimate authority on its affairs.
Hollywood
WBD sets April 23 vote on $110bn Paramount Skydance merger
Investor approval key step, but regulators loom over mega media deal
NEW YORK: Warner Bros. Discovery has set April 23 as the date for shareholders to vote on its proposed $110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance, marking a crucial step in one of the biggest media deals in recent years.
The all-cash transaction offers WBD shareholders $31 per share, a hefty 147 per cent premium to its unaffected stock price, signalling strong intent to push the deal across the finish line. The company’s board has unanimously backed the merger and is urging investors to vote in favour.
Even if shareholders give the green light, the deal is far from done. Regulators in the United States and Europe are expected to scrutinise the merger closely, weighing concerns around competition and potential price impacts for consumers.
To keep investors on side, WBD has built in a safety net. If the deal is not completed by September 30, shareholders will receive a quarterly “ticking fee” of $0.25 per share until closure.
The proposed merger would significantly reshape the media landscape, combining the assets of Warner Bros. Discovery with those linked to Paramount Global and Skydance Media. It would also cement the growing influence of David Ellison, who has been steering Skydance’s aggressive expansion strategy.
“The WBD Board has been guided by the singular principle of securing a transaction that maximises the value of our iconic assets and delivers as much certainty as possible to our shareholders,” said Warner Bros. Discovery board chair Samuel A. Di Piazza Jr.. “This historic transaction will expand consumer choice and create new opportunities for creative talent.”
Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive officer David Zaslav added that the company is working closely with its counterpart to close the deal and unlock value for stakeholders.
With investor backing likely but regulatory hurdles ahead, the proposed merger is shaping up to be a defining moment for the global entertainment industry, where scale, content and competition are increasingly intertwined.
