English Entertainment
Fox Life to go places!
MUMBAI: Fox Traveller which underwent a vibrant makeover to become Fox Life has decided to visit places. Yes, the channel has got a new philosophy and tagline-Go Places!
This was recently revealed by NGC Network India and Fox International channels managing director Keertan Adyanthaya who said that “Fox Traveller’s journey has been exciting, fun, and fruitful. And as we continue on our next journey with Fox Life, it will only get bigger and better.”
The makeover which took place on 15 June saw a change in the name, logo and also packaging of the channel. The channel catering to the lifestyle segment was originally launched in Italy and now reaches to 73 countries in 19 different languages. In its new form, the channel will host a mix of both US and India produced reality programmes, designed to match its modern target audience.
Adyanthaya made the announcements at a launch party to welcome the new avatar. The event saw many celebrities, among these were Michelin Star Chef Vikas Khanna, designer Rocky S, India’s rock stars Uday Benegal, Indus Creed and Hipnotribe.
Indus Creed lead vocalist Uday Benegal said, “It’s been a great journey with Fox Life and the show Soundtrek. The channel definitely took me on a fun journey and I am certain it will be the same for its viewers.”
Vikas Khanna commented, “My association with Fox Life for the show Twist of Taste has been a great experience. The channel gave me the chance to explore exciting journeys.”
NGC and Fox International Channels vice president marketing and communication Debarpita Banerjee had earlier said, “Being leaders in the category, it was necessary for us to reinvent, in order to grow. Also, this gave us the opportunity to align with the global brand Fox Life.”
Celebrities like Gul Panag, Rajeev Khandelwal, Purab Kohli, Shibani Dandekar, Kirat Bhattal, Siddhartha Basu, Keith Sequira, Diandra Sores, Sameer Kochchar, Manish Paul, Gaurav Kapoor, Raghu Ram and Rajiv Lakshman were also present at the launch party
English Entertainment
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approve Paramount deal
Investors wave through a $111 billion megamerger but deliver a stinging, if toothless, rebuke over half-a-billion-dollar goodbye packages
NEW YORK: The shareholders said yes to the deal. They said no to the cheque. At a virtual special meeting on Thursday that lasted barely ten minutes, Warner Bros. Discovery investors voted overwhelmingly to approve Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion acquisition of the company — and then turned around and voted against the lavish exit pay packages lined up for chief executive David Zaslav and his fellow outgoing executives.
Not that it will make much difference. The compensation vote is purely advisory and non-binding. The Warner Bros. Discovery board can, and almost certainly will, pay out as planned.
But the symbolism stings. It is the second consecutive year that WBD shareholders have voted against the executive compensation packages, and this time they had good reason. Zaslav’s exit deal is, by any measure, extraordinary. Under the terms filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, he is set to receive $34.2 million in cash severance, $517.2 million in equity in the combined company, and $44,195 in continued health coverage — a total of at least $550 million. On top of that, Warner Bros. Discovery has agreed to reimburse Zaslav up to $335 million for taxes assessed by the Internal Revenue Service on his accelerated stock vesting, though the company says that figure will decline depending on when the deal closes. As of March 11, Zaslav also held $115.85 million in vested WBD stock awards — and last month sold a further $114 million worth of WBD shares.
Shareholder advisory firm ISS recommended voting against the compensation measure, citing “problematic” tax reimbursements to Zaslav and the full vesting of his stock awards.
Zaslav will be bound by a two-year non-competition covenant and a two-year non-solicitation of customers and employees after the deal closes.
His lieutenants are not walking away empty-handed either. J.B. Perrette, chief executive and president of global streaming and games, is in line for $142 million, comprising $18.2 million in cash severance and $123.9 million in equity. Bruce Campbell, chief revenue and strategy officer, will receive an estimated $121.5 million, including $18.8 million in severance and $102.7 million in equity. Chief financial officer Gunnar Wiedenfels is set for $120 million, made up of $6.6 million in cash severance and $113.1 million in equity. Gerhard Zeiler, president of international, will get $82.6 million, including $11.9 million in severance and $70.7 million in equity.
The deal itself, clinched in February after Netflix declined to raise its bid for Warner Bros., still needs regulatory clearance from the Justice Department and European authorities. Several state attorneys general are also weighing legal action to block it.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, was unsparing. “The Paramount-Warner Bros. merger isn’t a done deal,” she said after the shareholder vote. “State attorneys general across the country are stepping up to stop this antitrust disaster. We need to keep up this fight.”
If it does go through, the combined entity would be a formidable beast, bringing together Paramount Skydance’s stable — CBS, CBS News, Paramount Pictures, Paramount+, BET, MTV and Nickelodeon — with WBD’s portfolio of HBO, Max, Warner Bros. film and TV studios, DC, CNN, TBS, TNT, HGTV and Discovery+. Paramount has said it expects $6 billion in cost savings from the merger, which is Wall Street shorthand for mass layoffs on a significant scale.
The ten-minute meeting was presided over by chairman Samuel Di Piazza Jr., with Zaslav, Campbell, Wiedenfels and chief communications officer Robert Gibbs in virtual attendance. Di Piazza was bullish. “We appreciate the support and confidence our stockholders have placed in us to unlock the full value of our world-class entertainment portfolio,” he said. “With Paramount, we look forward to creating an exceptional combined company that will expand consumer choice and benefit the global creative talent community.”
Zaslav echoed the sentiment. “Over the past four years, our teams have transformed Warner Bros. Discovery and returned the company to industry leadership,” he said. “Today’s stockholder approval is another key milestone toward completing this historic transaction that will deliver exceptional value to our stockholders.”
Paramount Skydance struck a similar note. “Shareholder approval marks another important milestone towards completing our acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery,” it said in a statement, adding that it looked forward to “closing the transaction in the coming months.”
The shareholders have spoken on the merger. On the pay, they were ignored before the vote was even counted.
