ITV

Tag: Warner Bros Discovery

  • Netflix CEOs play coy about Warner Bros Discovery acquisition

    Netflix CEOs play coy about Warner Bros Discovery acquisition

    LOS ANGELES: Netflix is keeping its cards close whilst the rest of Hollywood scrambles for Warner Bros Discovery’s assets. Asked during Tuesday’s third-quarter earnings call whether the streaming giant might join the bidding war, co-chief executives Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters delivered a masterclass in strategic ambiguity: they ruled nothing out, but ruled nothing in either.

    “It’s true that historically, we’ve been more builders than buyers, and we think we have plenty of runway for growth without fundamentally changing that playbook,” said Sarandos. “Nothing is a must-have for us.” 

    Yet he added that Netflix looks at “all” merger opportunities through the same lens—a nod that Warner Bros Discovery’s studio and streaming empire, including HBO, HBO Max and Warner Bros Television, might just pique its interest.

    What Netflix definitely won’t touch are Warner Bros Discovery’s linear networks. “We’ve been very clear in the past that we have no interest in owning legacy media networks, so there is no change there,” Sarandos said. That rules out a bid for the whole company, which Warner Bros Discovery is splitting in two: one entity (Warner Bros) housing the streaming and studio jewels, the other (Discovery Global) lumping together cable channels and Discovery+.

    The carve-up comes after Warner Bros Discovery announced it was reviewing “strategic options” following “unsolicited interest” from “multiple” parties. Paramount is reportedly leading the charge, having offered $20 per share for the lot, then upping its bid to $24—both rejected. CNBC reports that Netflix and Comcast are also circling.

    Peters downplayed the threat of rivals bulking up through deals, pointing to mega-mergers like Disney-Fox, Amazon-MGM and Discovery-WarnerMedia that failed to shake up the landscape. “None of those mergers represented a fundamental shift in the competitive landscape,” he said. “Watching some of our competitors potentially get bigger via M&A does not change our view.”

    The caginess came as Netflix reported third-quarter revenue up 17 per cent year-on-year to $11.5bn, in line with forecasts. Operating income rose 12 per cent to $3.2bn, though it fell short of expectations after a $619m hit from a dispute with Brazilian tax authorities. Shares tumbled 6.5 per cent in after-hours trading, though Netflix insisted the tax spat won’t dent future results.

    By region, revenue in the US and Canada grew 17 per cent to $5.01bn, Europe, Middle East and Africa climbed 18 per cent to $3.7bn, Latin America rose 10 per cent to $1.37bn and Asia Pacific surged 21 per cent to $1.37bn. Netflix now commands 8.6 per cent of US television viewing time, up from 7.5 per cent in late 2022, and 9.4 per cent in Britain, up from 7.7 per cent.

    Hits last quarter included Wednesday season two (114m views), The Thursday Murder Club (61m) and My Oxford Year (81m). The Canelo-Crawford boxing match drew 41m viewers, making it the most-watched men’s championship bout this century, Netflix claimed.

    For now, Sarandos and Peters are content to watch the feeding frenzy from the sidelines. But their refusal to slam the door suggests they might yet crash the party—provided the price is right and the baggage left behind.

  • Warner Bros. Discovery sparks dhamakedar Diwali for kids

    Warner Bros. Discovery sparks dhamakedar Diwali for kids

    MUMBAI: This Diwali, the magic of heroes lights up your screens! Warner Bros. Discovery is set to dazzle children across India with a festive lineup of specials, marathons, and new episodes on Pogo, Cartoon Network, and Discovery Kids throughout October.

    Pogo kicks off the celebrations with India ke superhero ka superutsav from 18 to 24 October, featuring fresh episodes and telefeatures of Chhota Bheem, Little Singham, Jay Jagannath, and Mighty Little Bheem. Young viewers can follow epic adventures like Nakshatra Warrior (Part 1–3), airing Sundays at 1 pm from 12 to 26 October, where Bheem and Little Singham unite to thwart Kaal and Kirmada. Late-night excitement continues with Chhota Bheem vs Bhakshak: Quest for Kala Aina (Part 1–3) at 11:30 pm, as Bheem races against time to save his friends.

    Cartoon Network blends superhero action and Halloween fun this month. Teen Titans Go! To the Movies premieres on 19 October at 11:30 am, followed by daily specials from 20 to 24 October at 9:30 am. Fans can also catch Beast Boy: Lone Wolf on 25–26 October at 11:30 AM and enjoy Halloween day specials with spooky episodes on 31 October from 3:30 PM.

    Meanwhile, Discovery Kids introduces new episodes of Titoo from 20 October, airing Monday to Friday at 1 pm, following the mischievous eight-year-old whose good intentions often lead to hilarious chaos.

    With superheroes, laughter, and magical adventures, Warner Bros. Discovery ensures this Diwali is filled with unforgettable entertainment for young viewers across India.

  • Zee Business, Entrecon 2025 team up to fuel India’s startup growth story

    Zee Business, Entrecon 2025 team up to fuel India’s startup growth story

    MUMBAI: Zee Business, one of India’s leading Hindi business news channels, has partnered exclusively with Entrecon 2025, one of the country’s most ambitious entrepreneurship conclaves. Slated for 9–10 October at IIM Lucknow – EIC, Noida, the second edition promises to be a landmark gathering of 400 plus startups, 100 plus investors, 80 plus corporates, and 50 plus powerhouse speakers.

    With its live coverage, Zee Business will beam the energy, ideas, and debates from the venue to millions of living rooms and mobile screens across the nation, ensuring the movement goes beyond the halls of IIM.

    Entrecon 2025 isn’t just an event, it’s a catalyst. After the debut edition connected 200 startups with 70 investors and sparked 1.4 crore worth of business discussions, this year’s conclave aims to bridge the gap between capital and creativity at an even larger scale.

    The star-studded speaker line-up spans business, entertainment, and venture capital, featuring voices like Ashish Agarwal (Resurgent India), Navin Honagudi (Elev8 Partners), Rohit Bhayana (Lumis Ventures), Anish Agarwal (Warner Bros. Discovery), actor-entrepreneur Anupriya Goenka, Deep Bajaj (Sirona), and Anurag Batra (Business World).

    IDPL CBO Priyadarshan Garg framed the collaboration as a national mission, “Through our Live coverage of Entrecon 2025, we are not just broadcasting an event, but igniting a nationwide movement that connects visionaries with millions of aspiring entrepreneurs.”

    Gkconsulting CEO Mukesh Malik added, “Entrecon 2025 is designed to foster innovation, create bridges between startups and investors, and showcase India’s potential as a global hub of entrepreneurship. Partnering with Zee Business ensures these conversations inspire the entire nation.”

    With Zee Business as its official telecast partner, Entrecon 2025 is shaping up to be more than a conclave, it’s a movement set to redefine how India thinks, builds, and dreams entrepreneurship.

  • MIPCOM Cannes 2025 puts creators centre stage

    MIPCOM Cannes 2025 puts creators centre stage

    PARIS: Mipcom Cannes is recasting itself as the global meeting ground for the creator economy, unveiling a 13–16 October programme that director Lucy Smith calls “the biggest generational shift the market has ever seen”. She declared the creator economy “no longer emerging—it’s arrived”, signalling a fresh era for storytelling, distribution and monetisation.

    The scale remains vast: organisers expect more than 10,500 delegates from over 100 countries to pack the Palais des Festivals and surrounding beachfront. Joining the traditional powerhouses—Disney, Warner Bros Discovery, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Paramount Global, Banijay, BBC Studios, ZDF Studios and ITV Studios—are creator-led platforms and digital natives such as YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Dhar Mann Studios, Tubi, Samsung TV Plus and Luma AI. Big advertisers and agencies including Mattel, Toys“R”Us, Ancestry, Dentsu and McCann are coming to broker brand-funded projects.

    YouTube mounts its most ambitious presence yet: a dedicated space on the Croisette, daily workshops and a headline keynote with EMEA vice-president Pedro Pina and BBC Studios digital chief Jasmine Dawson in conversation with industry analyst Evan Shapiro. The rebadged MIP Creative Hub—formerly the Producers Hub—will host four days of matchmaking between creators, studios and brands.

    Fresh summits aim to blur the lines between TV, tech and social platforms. The BrandStorytelling Summit, imported from Sundance, will showcase how advertisers and digital talent collaborate on narrative campaigns. The Innovation Lab expands with an AI summit and new demo areas for cloud production, virtual sets and immersive formats. Panels will dissect monetisation models from Fast and AVoD to direct-to-fan subscriptions.

    MIPJunior, the kids’ pre-market on 11–12 October, moves into the Palais for the first time, offering dedicated matchmaking and a premiere of Ki & Hi in the Panda Kingdom, based on Kevin Tran’s best-selling manga.
    High-wattage speakers include Mattel Studios president Robbie Brenner, Banijay chief Marco Bassetti, Mediawan Pictures CEO Elisabeth d’Arvieu and Toys“R”Us CMO Kim Miller Olko, alongside creators Callum “Callux” McGinley and Dhar Mann. World premieres on the main stage feature Paramount’s Boston Blue, ZDF’s Ku’damm 77 and a Sony preview of The Miniature Wife, with cast members Donnie Wahlberg, Sonequa Martin-Green and Matthew Macfadyen expected.

    By weaving creators into every strand—from keynotes to co-production hubs—MIPCOM is betting that the next wave of global television will be forged as much by YouTubers and TikTokers as by Hollywood studios. The 2025 edition aims to prove that the Croisette can be the crossroads where legacy broadcasters and digital disruptors strike their biggest deals yet.

  • Reality Ranis swap jungle for shore as Season 2 drama washes ashore

    Reality Ranis swap jungle for shore as Season 2 drama washes ashore

    MUMBAI: The Ranis are back and this time, they’re trading leaves for waves. Warner Bros. Discovery has dropped the trailer for Reality Ranis of the Jungle Season 2, and the all-female survival show is moving from dense forests to sandy shores. The first look teases a stormy mix of crashing waves, sizzling rivalries and survival drama as 12 contestants battle for the ultimate crown.

    Season 1 set the tone with fierce jungle clashes, but the sequel looks double the size and twice the fun. The fresh lineup features Samyukta Hegde, Irena Rudakova, Archana Gautam, Sara Gurpal and more all ready to swap comfort zones for chaos. Adding extra spice, Rakhi Sawant storms into the mix, promising unpredictability that only she can deliver. Guiding the spectacle once again is host Varun Sood, whose return ensures fans a familiar yet amped-up ride through the survival saga.

    The timing couldn’t be more symbolic. As Discovery celebrates 40 years globally and 30 in India, the series mirrors its DNA of bold, edge-of-seat storytelling. Reality Ranis Season 2 isn’t just about endurance, it’s about power plays, transformations, and testing limits under the scorching sun. With beach brawls, surprise twists, and a crown on the line, these Ranis are set to prove that survival, like the tide, waits for no one.
     

  • Wild tales roar as Warner Bros Discovery unveils Dooars and Americas

    Wild tales roar as Warner Bros Discovery unveils Dooars and Americas

    MUMBAI: Nature is getting the star treatment this August, with Warner Bros. Discovery rolling out two blue-chip wildlife spectacles across Discovery, Animal Planet, and Discovery+. First up is The Dooars World, which premiered on 15 August with Dia Mirza lending her voice to the Eastern Himalayan wilderness. Directed by debutant Shaon Pritam Baral, the series transports viewers to the biodiverse Dooars region, where red pandas, one-horned rhinos, and vibrant birdlife share fragile harmony with local communities. “The Dooars is a living, breathing world,” Baral noted, calling Mirza’s narration the soulful thread that binds the storytelling. Interestingly, the project was spotted at Waves Film Bazaar, an NFDC initiative.

    Hot on its heels came The Americas, which debuted on 18 August with Hollywood heavyweight Tom Hanks narrating an 11-part odyssey from the Arctic to Patagonia. Produced by BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit with Universal Television Alternative Studio, the series has already snagged Emmy nominations for Hanks’ narration and Hans Zimmer’s sweeping score. Expect breathtaking animal drama, from species thriving in icy extremes to the urgent climate challenges rewriting their futures.

    Warner Bros. Discovery head of factual entertainment, lifestyle & kids for South Asia Sai Abishek summed it up: “It’s this mix of fresh voices like Shaon and iconic ones like Tom Hanks that makes our storytelling spectacular and memorable.”

    Airing weekdays at 9:00 pm on Animal Planet with simulcasts on Discovery, and streaming on discovery+, these shows fuse cinematic grandeur with conservation urgency reminding viewers why the wild will always have the final word.

  • Azmat Jagmag exits Warner Bros. Discovery

    Azmat Jagmag exits Warner Bros. Discovery

    MUMBAI: After nearly three years shaping pop culture moments at Warner Bros Discovery, Azmat Jagmag has called time on her stint at the media giant.

    Jagmag, who joined in 2021 as head of marketing for south Asia before taking over as partnerships and solutions marketing head for INSEAK, led some of the company’s most ambitious regional pushes. She oversaw the India launch of discovery+, spearheaded the scale-up of Max across South East Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan with over 15 telecom and MVPD partners, and drove social and marketing campaigns that turned viral from Mumbai to Los Angeles.

    Before WBD, Jagmag founded Masala Chai, a content-marketing outfit that launched indie music label Jjust Music and helped reposition Puja Entertainment as a modern studio. Earlier, at Zee Entertainment, she spent over a decade leading brand and marketing strategy, pushing Zee TV and Zee Anmol to leadership positions and driving campaigns that bagged multiple industry awards.

    Across her 18-year career, she has launched and scaled some of India’s most recognisable media brands, from SonyLiv to Cartoon Network. Recognised by Google as a leading woman in new-age media, she also co-authored a brand case study for IIM Ahmedabad.

    As she signs off from WBD, Jagmag says the journey has been about turning “logic to magic”—a mantra that has defined her career across broadcast, DTC, movies and music. The next chapter, she teases, is already in the works.

  • Batman goes electric in India as Mahindra and Warner Bros. roll out caped crusader SUV

    Batman goes electric in India as Mahindra and Warner Bros. roll out caped crusader SUV

    MUMBAI: Holy horsepower, Batman. India has just driven into comic-book history.

    In a feat more Gotham than Gurgaon, Mahindra Electric Automobile Ltd and Warner Bros. Discovery have pulled off what few in the automotive or licensing world would dare attempt: the launch of the world’s first Batman-inspired electric SUV.

    The BE.06 Batman Edition – unveiled at an invite-only spectacle at the Fairmont Mumbai – is less a motorcar and more a muscle-bound statement on wheels. Cloaked in midnight black, bristling with Gotham swagger, and infused with design nods to DC’s brooding vigilante, the car is being billed as a “collector’s dream” – though for now it will be available only to Indian buyers.

    What makes the story remarkable is not just the branding but the breakneck speed. From concept sketch to drivable reality in just 45 days – the blink of a Bat-signal – the project has stunned both motoring and licensing circles. In an industry where even minor editions can crawl through months of approvals, this was, as one executive put it, “execution at bat-out-of-hell pace.”

    Warner Bros. Discovery’s theatrical business in India vice-president and managing director Denzil Dias framed the launch as a landmark moment for both sides of the partnership. “From Gotham vibes to Mumbai drives — presenting the world’s first Batman-inspired electric SUV, born from a stunning collaboration between Mahindra Group and Warner Bros. Discovery India,” he said. “This isn’t just a car — it’s a statement. A symbol of India’s rising power on the global stage of innovation.”

    He added: “A first for India. A milestone for Warner Bros. Discovery. A proud moment for Mahindra. And a statement to the world. Bravo, team — you didn’t just launch a car, you launched a collector’s dream.”

    The applause has been shared widely. At Mahindra, design supremo Pratap Bose is credited with sketching the dream, while colleagues Preet Inder Singh Kahlon, Salil Pawar, Reeti Nageshri, Nalinikanth Gollagunta and Rajesh Jejurikar gave it wheels. On the Warner Bros. side, Anand Singh and his South Asia consumer products crew – Sanchayeeta Choudhury, Ushaa Rai, Kartikeya Ahluwalia and Gitanjli A. – worked in lockstep with DC’s global franchise chiefs Adam Bodenstein and Kevin Morris. Vikram Sharma, Warner Bros.’s Asia-Pacific consumer products boss, was hailed as the “North Star,” with India leadership – Arjun Nohwar,  Dias himself, and Deepa Sridhar – offering ballast. The seed was planted, fittingly enough, by SuperCorp’s Ada Garg and Yashovardhan Ganeriwala.

    For Warner Bros., the partnership burnishes DC’s global franchise in a market hungry for pop culture tie-ins. For Mahindra, it injects the glamour of Gotham into its electric-vehicle play. The symbolism is plain: India is not merely consuming global brands, but shaping them, turning fantasy into factory output at speed.

    The car is limited in availability, but not in symbolism. Like Batman himself, it is equal parts myth and machine, equal parts statement and story. To borrow from Bruce Wayne’s world: sometimes the car doesn’t just get you from A to B – it makes you believe the impossible.

  • WBD’s streaming and studios segments soar as linear TV slows

    WBD’s streaming and studios segments soar as linear TV slows

    MUMBAI: Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has delivered a mixed bag of results in its second quarter, with its film and streaming divisions providing a much-needed shot in the arm as its traditional linear TV business struggles.

    The company, which is planning to split its streaming & studios and global linear networks businesses, reported a net income of $1.6 billion, a stark contrast to the massive $9.9 billion loss it posted in the same quarter last year. Adjusted EBITDA also saw a respectable 9 per cent year-on-year increase, hitting $2.0 billion. However, free cash flow took a hit, falling by 28 per cent to $702 million, partly due to one-off separation costs.

    The studios segment was the star of the show, with revenues rocketing by 54 per cent to $3.8 billion. Content revenues, in particular, surged by 59 per cent, largely driven by a strong box office performance from theatrical releases like A Minecraft Movie, Sinners, and Final Destination: Bloodlines. The company’s film slate grossed over $3 billion globally this year and saw five consecutive films open to over $45 million domestically. On the television side, WBTV received 60 Emmy nominations, a record for a studio, with its shows like The Pitt, Abbott Elementary and The Penguin receiving critical acclaim.

    The streaming business also showed strong momentum, adding 3.4 million global subscribers in the quarter to reach a total of 125.7 million. Revenues for the segment rose by eight per cent to $2.8 billion, and it turned a profit of $293 million in adjusted EBITDA, a significant improvement from a $107 million loss a year ago. The company’s international expansion, including a successful launch in Australia, helped drive subscriber growth. However, global average revenue per user (ARPU) decreased by 11 per cent to $7.14, mainly due to the influx of lower ARPU international subscribers and the wider distribution of the ad-supported HBO Max tier.

    In contrast, the global linear networks business took a tumble. Its revenues fell by nine per cent to $4.8 billion, and adjusted EBITDA plummeted by 25 per cent to $1.5 billion. The decline was attributed to a nine per cent drop in domestic pay TV subscribers and a hefty 13 per cent decrease in advertising revenue, driven by a 23 per cent decline in domestic linear audiences.

    Looking ahead, WBD is targeting 12-14 theatrical releases annually and is set to launch HBO Max in Germany, Italy, the UK, and Ireland in 2026. The company also reduced its gross debt by $2.7 billion in the quarter, bringing the total to $35.6 billion.

  • Warner Bros. Discovery announces new original docu-series ‘Ek Tha Raja with Akul Tripathi’

    Warner Bros. Discovery announces new original docu-series ‘Ek Tha Raja with Akul Tripathi’

    MUMBAI: Warner Bros. Discovery is all set to launch a new Indian original docu-series, ‘Ek Tha Raja with Akul Tripathi’, premiering exclusively on Discovery channel and discovery+ starting 7 August 2025, at 9:00 PM. Blending immersive storytelling with rich historical narratives, the show revisits the courage and resilience of India’s well-known as well as unsung kings and queens, including incredible guerrilla war strategists, naval warriors and empire builders.

    This eight-part series transports viewers across centuries and geographies. From Garhwal (Uttarakhand) and Malwa (western Madhya Pradesh) to Rajputana (Rajasthan), the Deccan (Maharashtra and Telangana), Karnataka, and Kashmir, each brings to life a ruler whose courage shaped history. To make it accessible to audiences across India and the South Asian diaspora, the series will be available in seven languages: English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Bengali.

    Ek Tha Raja is hosted by Akul Tripathi, a passionate storyteller, cultural expert, and one of India’s most respected voices in historical narratives. With a deep love for the subcontinent’s heritage, Akul brings history to life through compelling storytelling that blends fact, folklore, and modern-day relevance. His unique approach adds both gravitas and accessibility to the series, inviting audiences to experience India’s past as unforgettable and memorable stories.

    The show profiles remarkable rulers and leaders whose legacies live beyond the mainstream historical spotlight such as Rani Durgavati of Gondwana, who died defending her kingdom against the Mughals; Abbakka Chowta, the fiery queen of coastal Karnataka who defied Portuguese colonisers; and Lalitaditya Muktapida of Kashmir, known for building one of the region’s most formidable empires. Also featured are icons such as Maharana Pratap and Rana Sanga (Rajasthan), Peshwa Bajirao I (Maharashtra), Raja Chhatrasal (Bundelkhand), and Rani Karnavati of Garhwal, all of whom defended their land, people, and culture with unmatched courage and strategic brilliance.

    Commenting on the launch, Sai Abishek, head of factual entertainment, lifestyle & kids, South Asia, Warner Bros. Discovery said, “As a brand, we’ve always believed in championing powerful narratives, and Ek Tha Raja builds on that belief.  Through this series, we’re proud to bring the stories of leadership, sacrifice, and resilience, through a fresh, cinematic lens. It’s great to have a masterful storyteller like Akul Tripathi narrate these stories. His narration gives viewers a truly immersive experience into the lives of some of India’s greatest defenders.”

    As Discovery marks 30 years of storytelling in India and 40 years globally this August, Ek Tha Raja with Akul Tripathi reflects this continued commitment to spotlighting stories that celebrate the country’s rich and diverse regional histories.

    Host, Akul Tripathi added, “History is often remembered by its victors. India’s past is filled with remarkable figures who stood their ground against invaders and adversity. Ek Tha Raja is our attempt to honour these leaders and to remind viewers that the roots of India’s freedom run far deeper than we’re often told. It’s also a way to pass these stories on to a younger generation, to help them see India’s legacy as a reminder that courage and leadership have always been part of our DNA.”

    Each episode dives into epic tales of conquest, valour, lost kingdoms, and overlooked warriors who shaped the subcontinent’s legacy of resistance. Expert interviews with royal descendants, historians, and cultural voices further deepen the storytelling, providing lived context and invaluable insights into these enduring legacies.

    Ek Tha Raja with Akul Tripathi will be premiering exclusively on Discovery channel and discovery+ starting 7 August 2025, at 9 PM. The series will also stream on HBO Max in Southeast Asia.