Hollywood
Golden Globe attendees urged to donate clothes for Tsunami relief
MUMBAI: Hollywood stars are all set to do their bit in helping victims of the Tsunami natural disaster.
In exactly a week’s time the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) will organise the Golden Globe Awards. In conjunction with the prestigious event Unicef has announced the Clothes Off Our Back Golden Globe Auction.
Film, television stars and other celebrities will auction their clothes worn on the event’s Red Carpet. Proceeds raised from will benefit the Unicef Tsunami Relief Fund. Championing the initiative are two of American television’s leading lights: Jane Kaczmarek who stars in the sitcom Malcolm In The Middle and her
husband, Bradley Whitford who can be sen in The West Wing which airs in India on Zee English. In India the Golden Globe Awards will air live on Star World on 17 January at 6:30 am with a repeat at 8 pm.
Kaczmarek said, “With a disaster of this magnitude that has affected so many children everyone wants to help. The Hollywood community has a great opportunity with the upcoming Golden Globe. We are calling on all current and past Golden Globe nominees and winners to donate their clothing and accessories that from the red carpet to help raise money for Unicef to care for the children who have survived this disaster.”
Celebrities, designers and stylists are encouraged to donate gowns, tuxedos, shoes, watches, handbags, and sunglasses, anything that has been worn to a previous ceremony or will be worn to the upcoming Golden Globes.
For further information check the site www.clothesoffourback.org. Meanwhile the HFPA and In Style Magazine will treat this year’s Golden Globe presenters to an array of lavish items. Each presenter will get gifts worth a total of $38,000.
Selected items for the presenter boxes include a VIP travel package including luxury accommodations in Hunter Valley near Sydney. The package has been created by Rosemount Estates vineyard of Australia and has guided tours and tastings at their winery. Quantas Airlines will provide the air transportation for this package to Australia in their new international luxury class Skybed. Also another goodie for presenters is a bi-coastal six-month membership to Sports Club LA.
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.
