Hollywood
HBO’s ‘Selfie in Space’ contest sends winning picture into space
MUMBAI: To celebrate the HBO blockbuster movie of the year, Gravity, premiering on 21 December 2014, HBO is organising the first ever ‘HBO Selfie in Space’ contest which gives viewers a once in a lifetime opportunity to send their selfie to space.
The winner’s selfie will travel to space and a video of the same will be taken and uploaded to capture the voyage.
The participants can upload their photograph along with a caption and the hashtag #SelfieInSpace on HBO India’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/HBOIndia) or HBO South Asia’s website (http://www.hbosouthasia.com/selfieinspace/).
The contest allows the participants to upload more than one photo and it is on till the midnight of 21 December 2014. In addition, participants can also stand to win an Xbox 360 with Kinect.
One of the world’s all-time biggest blockbusters, Gravity featuring George Clooney, Sandra Bullock, Ed Harris, Amy Warren, won seven Oscars including best visual effects, best sound editing, best sound mixing, best cinematography, best film editing, best original score and best director.
Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (Clooney). On a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes when the shuttle gets destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space!
Gravity will air this Sunday at 1 pm and 9 pm on HBO.
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.
