Factual
Warner Bros Discovery announces restructure; cleaves into two divisions
MUMBAI: Following in the footsteps of other gorilla media companies trying to find a way to retain value in the face of the streaming tsunami, Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) announced on 12 December that it had got its board’s go ahead to cleave itself into two operating divisions, namely
* Global Linear Networks: A premier linear television business that operates networks with compelling news, sports, scripted and unscripted programming.
* Streaming & Studios: A globally scaled streaming platform and storied film and entertainment studios with a portfolio of intellectual property.
WBD will serve as the parent company. The intent behind this corporate restructuring: enhance its strategic flexibility and create potential opportunities to unlock additional shareholder value. Additionally, it expects the new corporate structure to increase clarity and focus, with each division positioned to deliver on its specific strategic and operational objectives while executing on initiatives to further key priorities for the consolidated WBD.
Global linear networks will focus on maximising profitability and free cash flow to continue deleveraging, while streaming & studios will focus on driving growth and strong returns on increasing invested capital, said a corporate release. The latter will include streaming platforms Max and Discovery+ and film studios like Warner Bros Pictures and New Line Cinema.
The new corporate structure will also increase optionality to pursue further value creation opportunities for both divisions in an evolving media landscape, the company statement added..
What analysts are observing in this move, is the possibility of a spin off of the company’s legacy linear TV assets into a separate company as traditional cable TV and linear channels like TNT, Discovery, HLN, Animal Planet, CNN have been on a downward trajectory with cord-cutting rampant. Last year , WBD unveiled a $9.1 billion goodwill impairment charge to write down the value of its legacy TV assets.
Investors have been beating down the share prices of media companies which don’t have a clear runway for their streaming businesses.
WBD president & CEO, David Zaslav has been promising that he would ways to unlock better value for shareholders by strategic moves, as recently as a couple of months ago.
Comcast beat Zaslav’s maneuvre by announcing plans to spin off its NBCUniversal cable TV networks, including channels like MSNBC, CNBC, and E! so that they would not be a drag on its core business which includes residential broadband, wireless, business services and NBCUniversal’s streaming, studios and theme parks
However, other observers say that WBD might find it challenging to do a spinoff in the near future as a lot of the cash coming into the company is via its linear television business, which is seeing declining subscribers. It struck a new multiyear distribution deal with Charter Communications and Comcast which included higher payouts to it by the two for its linear channels. Its D2C business is actually on a growth curve and has limited cash inflows as the streaming services expand globally.
“Since the combination that created Warner Bros. Discovery, we have transformed our business and improved our financial position while providing world class entertainment to global audiences,” said Zaslav in a statement announcing the restructuring. “We continue to prioritize ensuring our global linear networks business is well positioned to continue to drive free cash flow, while our streaming & studios business focuses on driving growth by telling the world’s most compelling stories. Our new corporate structure better aligns our organisation and enhances our flexibility with potential future strategic opportunities across an evolving media landscape, help us build on our momentum and create opportunities as we evaluate all avenues to deliver significant shareholder value.”
Warner Bros. Discovery expects to start the foundational steps immediately and to complete the implementation of the new corporate structure by mid-2025.In addition, the Company expects to continue to evolve the board to execute its strategy and drive future shareholder value creation. J.P. Morgan, Evercore, and Guggenheim Securities are serving as financial advisors to Warner Bros. Discovery and Kirkland & Ellis and Wachtell Lipton are serving as legal counsel.
Factual
Kumar Mangalam Birla makes KBC debut with Amitabh Bachchan
MUMBAI: India’s most famous hot seat is about to welcome an unlikely first-timer. For the first time on Hindi general entertainment television, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla will appear on Kaun Banega Crorepati, the iconic quiz show hosted by Amitabh Bachchan.
The special episode marks a rare meeting point of boardroom heft and prime-time television, bringing one of India’s most influential business leaders face to face with the country’s most enduring screen legend. It is a crossover that blends intellect, leadership and popular culture, all under KBC’s familiar spotlight.
Birla’s appearance dovetails neatly with the show’s current theme, Jahaan Akal Hai, Wahan Akad Hai, which celebrates the confidence that comes from clarity of thought and knowledge. His presence lends weight to the idea that sharp thinking and conviction are as vital in life as they are in the quiz chair.
In a thoughtful conversation with Bachchan, Birla shared an upbeat view of India’s economic journey, pointing to the nation’s rapid growth and the scale of opportunity opening up across industries and communities. He spoke of momentum, ambition and a future shaped by enterprise and ideas.
The episode is not all serious talk. In lighter moments, Birla confessed his long-standing admiration for Bachchan, calling him his favourite actor and admitting to a touch of nervousness at answering questions in front of the Shahenshah himself. The candour adds a human touch to a man more often seen in headlines than on television sets.
The special episode airs on Monday, 29 December at 9.00 pm on Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV.
Factual
Rocky heats up NCR as Road Trippin returns with winter bites
MUMBAI: Winter’s bite just got tastier. Road Trippin With Rocky is back for its 15th season, with Rocky Singh rolling through the NCR to plate up comfort food, cult favourites and cold-weather cravings from 27 to 30 December.
The four-day journey opens in Noida, where Rocky kicks off with the much-loved Jain Tikki Wala in Sector 27 before wrapping the day at the always-humming Social. Faridabad follows, with stops shaped by local recommendations, while Gurugram brings a balance of indulgence and restraint from a standout vegetarian spread to smoky carnivore fare at The Pit, finished with Thai flavours at Banng.
Saving the grand finale for Delhi, Rocky dives into the capital’s contrasts from humble roadside falahar to refined fine-dining tables that define New Delhi’s evolving food scene. The promise is simple: honest recommendations that belong on every serious food lover’s list.
Over the years, #RoadTrippin has grown into one of HistoryTV18’s most successful digital-first properties. Built for viewers who snack on content on the move, the format’s easy humour, spontaneity and conversational style have kept audiences coming back season after season.
The numbers underline its pull. Across platforms, the franchise has clocked over 2 billion impressions and more than 550 million video views, turning each new season into a highly anticipated return.
Season 15 of #RoadTrippinWithRocky will play out across HistoryTV18’s and Rocky’s social media handles, a winter road trip that proves once again that in NCR, the cold only makes the food hotter.
Factual
Street of Stories Warner Bros doc amplifies GB Road’s unheard voices
MUMBAI: The cries may have gone unheard, but the stories now refuse to stay silent. Warner Bros. Discovery and Times Network have come together to shine a piercing, humanising light on Delhi’s GB Road, one of India’s most stigmatised spaces with Unheard Cries at GB Road, a documentary that trades sensationalism for truth, and myth for lived reality. The film premiered on 17 November 2025 on discovery+, offering rare, unfiltered access to a world long discussed but rarely listened to.
Crafted under Times Now Studios and shaped by producer and co-writer Rohit Chadda, the documentary draws on over 50 in-depth interviews with survivors, sex workers, police officials, social workers and experts. Instead of dramatisation or stylised retellings, the film builds itself on first-hand accounts bringing to the fore women whose lives have often been spoken about, yet scarcely spoken to.
At its heart, Unheard Cries at GB Road is a testament to the women who battle cycles of trauma, exploitation and coercion, while still searching for small, stubborn pockets of hope. Their accounts, delivered on record and often at great personal risk, reveal the emotional, physical and psychological landscapes of a district too frequently flattened by stereotype.
Warner Bros. Discovery, head of factual entertainment, lifestyle & kids for South Asia,Sai Abishek said the project demanded both courage and care. “Unheard Cries at GB Road is a story that demands to be seen and heard. Factual storytelling carries responsibility, and this film embodies that commitment. By giving these women the space to speak for themselves, the documentary brings rare honesty and emotional depth to a subject too often misunderstood.”
The production team gained access to the interiors of brothels, capturing the quiet routines, the harsh constraints and the precarious negotiations that shape daily life. Insights from the Delhi Police, NGO workers and legal experts situate these personal stories within the larger systems of trafficking, safety failures and legal gaps that the women must navigate.
Rohit Chadda said, “We made this film to confront a truth that has long remained ignored. Our commitment from the very beginning was to tell these stories with honesty, dignity, and responsibility – and we hope it resonates deeply enough to spark reflection, conversation, and a sense of hope, which results in long term change. Unheard Cries at GB Road is the first production under the banner of Times Now Studios, and we intend to build on this foundation by creating more meaningful, purpose-driven stories that deserve a platform and a voice.”
“This special documentary, produced under Times Now Studios and directed by Rohit Chadda and Yatharth Chauhan, is built on more than 50 in-depth interviews.”
While the documentary does not attempt to provide simple solutions, it offers something more vital, a vantage point grounded in truth. By presenting the voices of women who endure the unseen and the unimaginable on a daily basis, the film asks viewers to confront the complexity of GB Road with empathy rather than judgement.
Unheard Cries at GB Road is streaming now on discovery+, inviting the nation to listen truly listen to stories that can no longer remain in the shadows.
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