iWorld
Netflix enters exclusive talks to buy Warner Bros
CALIFORNIA: Netflix has entered exclusive negotiations to buy Warner Bros.’ film and TV studios and the HBO Max streaming service, according to a Bloomberg report. The move suggests the streamer has outpaced Paramount Skydance and Comcast in one of the media industry’s most hard-fought auctions.
Netflix has offered a $5bn break-up fee if regulators block the deal, the report said. A formal agreement could emerge within days, assuming the talks hold. Before any sale closes, Warner Bros. Discovery will proceed with its planned spinoff of cable assets including CNN, TBS and TNT.
A deal would mark a dramatic pivot for Netflix, which has shunned major acquisitions during its rise to become the world’s dominant paid-streaming platform. It would also unite the world’s largest streaming service with one of Hollywood’s oldest studios, bringing HBO, The Sopranos, The White Lotus, the Harry Potter franchise and the Friends library under the Netflix banner.
The bidding process has been fractious. Paramount accused Warner of running a “tainted” auction tilted towards Netflix, while arguing that its own offer faced fewer regulatory obstacles. Comcast also tabled bids.
Warner, valued at more than $60bn, has been hit by a sharp decline in its traditional TV networks, which reported a 23 per cent fall in quarterly revenue as viewers and advertisers continued to drift to streaming.
Netflix, founded nearly three decades ago as a DVD-by-post service, ended 2024 with $39bn in revenue and a market value of about $437bn. Warner Bros., founded in the 1920s, generated a similar $39bn in annual sales.
iWorld
Samay Raina returns with Still Alive, confronts 2025 controversy in bold comeback special
Comeback set tackles controversy, blending humour with raw storytelling
MUMBAI: Samay Raina is set to release his new stand-up comedy special, Still Alive, on YouTube on April 7, 2026, marking a high-profile return following a turbulent year.
The trailer for the special dropped on April 5, offering a glimpse into what Raina describes as a raw and unfiltered set that leans as much on honesty as it does on humour.
Positioned as a comeback of sorts, Still Alive draws heavily from the controversy surrounding his show India’s Got Latent in early 2025. The episode led to legal trouble, multiple FIRs, and a lengthy six-hour interrogation by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, placing the comedian at the centre of intense public scrutiny.
Rather than sidestep the episode, Raina leans into it. The special reflects on the fallout and his personal journey through it, blending observational comedy with moments of emotional candour. Early audience feedback from live performances suggests the tone is less about rapid-fire punchlines and more about storytelling with bite.
The special was filmed during his global Still Alive & Unfiltered tour, which ran from August 2025 to early 2026. The tour saw Raina perform across major international venues, including the Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York, a milestone that places him among the youngest Indian comedians to take that stage.
The title itself signals resilience. “Still Alive” is a nod to navigating both legal and public backlash while choosing to remain unapologetically authentic, a theme that appears to anchor the set.
With the special set to premiere online, all eyes are now on how audiences respond to a performance that promises equal parts reflection and wit. For Raina, the message is clear. He is not just back, he is ready to be heard on his own terms.
