Hollywood
Madonna richer than Lady Gaga: Forbes
MUMBAI: The queen of pop, Madonna is still ruling the music world. She is leading the Forbes’ 2013 Highest-Paid Musicians list. According to the Forbes Magazine, the 55-year-old diva earned $125 million from June 2012 to May 2013, thanks to her highly-successful MDMA Tour. The ‘4 Minutes’ hitmaker has beaten chart-topping artists like Rihanna and fellow icons like Paul McCartney and is the highest paid musician of 2013.
The MDMA tour grossed $305 million. According to report published in the magazine, it took into account concert ticket sales, royalties for recorded music and publishing, merchandise sales, endorsement deals, and other business ventures. In addition to her tour, Madonna’s other endeavors include merchandising from her concert, her clothing line and her perfume, all of which helped the songstress dominate the list of top earners.
Next to her in the list is Lady Gaga with an annual income of $80 million, followed by Jersey rocks and 80s icons Bon Jovi, who nabbed $79 million for the year.
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.
