Star+ Will Be Integrated Under Disney+ In Brazil And Latin America By 2024

A major change in the streaming market will take place in Brazil in 2024. Disney will close the Star+ service application and unify the platform with Disney+ in the second half of next year. 

Currently, Disney sells the two subscriptions separately and also on Combo+, which offers both platforms for a single price. It is also possible to subscribe to services at a lower price using the Meli+ subscription, from Mercado Livre. 

The unification of streaming services was confirmed by Disney in a press release. The action seems like a natural step for the company, which will also do something similar in the United States, with the Hulu platform. 

The Star+ application will be closed in Brazil and Latin America. 

Changes for the consumer 

According to official information, Disney will announce more details about the merger in the future, including issues such as the price and destination of Star+ subscribers, which will be closed. 

For consumers who already subscribe to Combo+, the change will bring more convenience during use. Currently, Disney+ and Star+ use applications that are practically the same, but have separate catalogs. 

While the Disney-named service focuses on the company's productions, Pixar and Marvel, Star is usually the home of Fox and sports. 

Currently, Star+ has productions from American channels such as FX and ABC, in addition to sports programming from ESPN. With the merger, this content will be centralized in just one application in Brazil and Latin America. 

Thus, in addition to bringing all the Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars films, Disney+ will also feature sports content and award-winning television productions. 

Smithsonian Channel Likely To Get Axed If The Possible Merger Between Paramount Global And Warner Bros. Discovery Moves Forward

The Smithsonian Channel is a factual based brand operated by Paramount Global through MTV Entertainment Group. It offers video content inspired by the Smithsonian Institution's museums, research facilities and magazines.

Serving as a competitor to Disney's National Geographic and a majority of factual based channels operated by Warner Bros Discovery. It was home to content like Ice Airport Alaska, The Exhibit: Finding the Next Great Artist, Damian Lewis: Spy Wars and Aerial America.

It used to operate various linear channels internationally and since December 2022 is only viewable on Paramount+ in these regions. As it has been outlined by sources that it would garner traction and of course some content would resurface on MTV.

During the week, it was reported that Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery were exploring a potential merger. For now, Warner Bros. Discovery can't look at merging with another entity until April 2024 and talks are said to be in the early stages so it's not known whether they'll go through with the plan.

Most of Paramount's assets are likely to be consolidated if not sold at this point. Unlike Nickelodeon or MTV, The Smithsonian Channel doesn't seem to have much of a future as it had been overshadowed by existing competitors.

Logically, shows like Aerial America and Mayday will just fold under the factual part of Warner Bros. Discovery not that this is new or anything. But they had been licensing content to other broadcasters before and after expanding their linear offering to other countries.

As for the brand in general, The Smithsonian Channel could continue to offer content based on their "museums, research facilities and magazines". Of course, I'd expect quite less of that at this point and they'd probably need to look at partnerships for sustainability.

Warner Bros. Discovery In Talks To Merge With Paramount Global

• The duo discussed ways their companies could complement one another. For example, each company's main streaming service — Paramount+ and Max — could merge to better rival Netflix and Disney+.

• WBD could use its international distribution footprint to boost Paramount's franchises, while Paramount's children's programing assets could be essential to WBD's long-term streaming ambitions.

• CBS News could be combined with CNN to create a global news powerhouse. CBS' crime dramas, such as "NCIS" and "Criminal Minds," could be combined with Investigation Discovery and TruTV.

Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish and WBD boss David Zaslav sat down on Tuesday at Paramount’s corporate headquarters in New York’s Times Square, a well-place source tells the media, “It was all rather preliminary,” the source said of the talks. Shari Redstone, CEO of Paramount’s controlling shareholder, National Amusements, “is on a bit of a listening tour to see what she might be able to get if she decides to sell the company or part of it,” he added.

Sources has reported in recent days that Redstone, after spending years holding her family’s empire together, had become open to offers for NAI and Paramount assets from suitors including Skydance and RedBird Capital.

Redstone was not in the room with Zaslav and Bakish for the actual meeting, a source noted. Redstone did have a separate conversation with Zaslav this week where the role of broadcast network CBS in any potential future deal was a major topic.

As a broadcast network coupled with 28 owned stations in many markets, CBS is a significant asset but also a legacy one. Given recent talk of Disney possibly parting with ABC and its stations (though the company recently said it has reconsidered) and other movement on the broadcast chess board, the notion of CBS and the stations not following the rest of the Paramount portfolio may be logical. Private equity funds have increasingly looked at local broadcasting as an area of interest.

Wall Street didn’t have any immediate reaction to the initial report of the negotiations by Axios. WBD stock slipped almost 6% during the regular trading day and was basically flat in after-hours trading. Paramount slid 2% and drifted down further after the session.

Warner Discovery would be prevented from entering into a transaction until the April expiration of a two-year lock-up period after the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery. The lockup was agreed to as part of the Warner-Discovery deal, which was executed via a Reverse Morris Trust, which confers certain tax advantages. Many dealmakers had marked April 8 of next year given the likelihood of WBD wanting to make changes to its portfolio.

Word of the talks surfaced not long after Bloomberg reported that Paramount had also been discussing the potential sale of BET Media, which includes the BET and VH1 cable networks as well as studio and streaming operations. Potential buyers include Byron Allen and an investor group led by BET CEO Scott Mills and finance executive Shinh Chu of CC Capital Partners. Paramount had previously explored the sale of BET but had pulled it back after determining that the bids were too low.

Both WBD and Paramount face significant issues with debt as well as the hefty expenses required of anyone looking to compete in streaming. Since the April 2022 closing of WarnerMedia’s $43 billion merger with Discovery, investors had pointed to the company’s debt as a concern. It also combined a large swath of cable TV assets against a backdrop of accelerating rates of cord-cutting. Shares in the merged company have been trading well below the price as of the deal close. Similarly, Paramount’s reunion of CBS and Viacom has not gone over well on the Street, with the stock sinking to single digits earlier this year and remaining nearly two-thirds below its level at the close of the Viacom-CBS deal in 2019.

WBD and Paramount Global both declined to comment. A rep for National Amusements did not respond to a request for comment.

Paramount Is Reportedly In Talks To Sell BET For Almost $2 Billion

For most of 2023, Paramount has been looking to sell BET. Reportedly, earlier this year, Paramount decided that the offers for BET were not worth it now though Paramount has decided to once again look at deals to sell BET.

According to a report from Bloomberg, Paramount is in talks with multiple potential buyers, include BET Chief Executive Officer Scott Mills and Chinh Chu, a former Blackstone Inc. member. The deal will reportedly be for just under $2 billion.

Originally this deal would reportedly include BET cable networks, BET+, a subscription streaming service, and BET studios. VH1 is now also managed by BET and would reportedly be included in this deal. Now though, it is unknown if VH1 will be a part of this new deal.

Paramount in the past, was reportedly interested in a minority stake but is likely looking for ways to cut back on expenses and earn cash to pay down its debts. It is unknown if this deal will still include a minority stake in the channel.

Paramount also recently agreed to sell Simon & Schuster to Penguin Random House for $2.2 billion, but regulators killed the deal. Paramount also sold the classic CBS NYC headquarters known as Black Rock and a large number of websites back in 2020.

Now selling BET seems to be the next step in Paramount’s efforts to free up cash to pay off debts and invest in Paramount+. 

Credit: Luke Bouma.

News Shorts: Moonbug And Toikido Commune For PeaKeeBoo, Cape Town TV To Debut New Edutainment Series Side Hustle Susters And Doodsondes Season 5 (And Likely Season 6) Linear Release Date Reportedly Revealed

A new short form series debuts on YouTube

London’s Moonbug Entertainment and British toyco Toikido are embarking on a franchise-building partnership for a new short series called PeaKeeBoo. 

The preschool project, featuring 2D animation with CG-animated backgrounds, will star three tiny creatures (Pea, Kee and Boo) who are enthralled by all of the sights and sounds of nature. Moonbug is producing a 30 x one-minute first season that’s already slated for a global premiere sometime in 2024 on its Moonbug Kids YouTube channel (10.4 million subscribers).  

The companies are now working out a 360-degree franchise strategy for PeaKeeBoo, with plans to eventually launch toys, books, apparel, playsets and games. 

Cape Town TV announces their first show for the year

'Side Hustle Susters – van passie tot profyt’ is an Afrikaans edutainment female empowerment show by women for women, created by Dee Theart (who is also the presenter of the show), in conjunction with Cape Town TV.

The show confronts the scarcity of female jobs by educating and inspiring women to pursue their own business ventures. Every episode includes a weekly “side hustle suster” (female entrepreneur guest) and a weekly female business coach/expert guest talking about various business topics. The female narrative will be at the centre of the conversation.

Season 1 is set to air in early 2024.

Doodsondes season 5 and 6 (final) to debut on eExtra???

During the year, eMedia Investments mysteriously shelved the final seasons to the FOX original Doodsondes (Yasak Elma) to eVOD. With the first two seasons broadcast on eExtra only for the other two seasons to end up on e.tv with questions surrounding the finals.

According to sources, Doodsondes Season 5 is scheduled to air from the 1st of April. So the only show we know that is ending closer to that period is Roekeloos Dade (30 March) and if accurate we might have uncovered the first replacement to one of their current shows.

Synopsis for Doodsondes Season 5:

Six months have passed since the explosion in Hasan Ali's house. After the explosion, Ender and Yıldız were injured, while Hasan Ali passed away. After the investigation, it is understood that Hasan Ali's enemies carried out the bombing and the case is closed.

Gravity Falls | Pilot | Disney Channel

Sometime in 2010, animator Alex Hirsch began work on a pitch pilot for what would soon become the hit Disney mystery series Gravity Falls. Created in Adobe Flash, the pilot ran for 12 minutes and was essentially a cut-down version of the first official episode, "Tourist Trapped."

In a Reddit IAMA conducted by Alex Hirsch, when asked if the unaired pilot would ever be released, he replied that it "would be like showing you awkward photos from my high school prom", and that he wouldn't want it to be seen. Additionally, the pilot used licensed songs that Hirsch didn't have the right to use commercially, meaning that there may have been legal problems with releasing it, on DVD or otherwise.

Despite that, on July 25th, 2016, Alex revealed that if the puzzle that was a part of the unofficial Cipher Hunt was completed, then he would release the pilot online. It was completed about a week later,[3] and on August 3rd, 2016, it was released on The Mystery of Gravity Falls' website under the username of RETURNBACKWARDS and the password of TOTHEPASTAGAINTHREE. It was also uploaded to YouTube with little to no difficulty or conflict (albeit private).

Regular Nick Shorts: Netflix To Premiere 'The Casagrandes Movie' In 2024, Spider-Man’s Restarting High School In This Upcoming Disney+ Cartoon And Marvel Studios Unveils Black Panther Prequel Eyes Of Wakanda

The Casagrandes is being revived

The news was announced by WrapPRO, which profiled Netflix Animation and their current and future efforts in the space. Midway through their piece, they reveal a first look (pictured above) and confirmation that The Casagrandes Movie will be released sometime in 2024.

Nickelodeon revealed that The Casagrandes Movie, a brand new film based on The Casagrandes, was in the works earlier this year. Although not much else about the movie has been said since the original announcement, Miguel Puga, a co-executive and director on Nickelodeon's hit animated series, hinted in November that production on The Casagrandes Movie had wrapped!

According to WrapPRO, The Casagrandes Movie is directed by Miguel Puga and written by Tony Gama-Lobo and Rebecca May, Lalo Alcaraz and Rosemary Contreras. The movie was produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studios Inc.

Spider-Man stars in a new series

Spider-Man is one of the hallmarks of Marvel. Of course, he’s had multiple cartoon iterations over the years, from the 90s rendition to the Spectacular series. And now, he’s going back to Freshman year.

Announced in 2021, Spider-Man: Freshman Year – or as it is now called, Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man – is one Marvel Studios animated project that fans don’t know a lot about, despite getting some details at 2022’s San Diego Comic-Con.

Sadly there isn’t a concrete release date, but Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has been confirmed to premiere on Disney+ sometime in 2024. It will also run for at least one additional season after its first.

Black Panther prequel makes a landing

In March 2023, rumors began to swirl that Black Panther director Ryan Coogler’s Proximity Media production company had begun developing an animated series for Marvel Studios. As Marvel Studios revamped their streaming slate and skipped out on SDCC ’23, the series, said at the time to be referred to as The Golden City, remained nothing but a rumor until now. During a press event for Season 2 of What If…? held at the Walt Disney Studios Lot, head of streaming, television and animation for Marvel Studios, Brad Winderbaum, revealed that the new series will hit Disney Plus in 2024.

Titled Eyes of Wakanda, the animated series will tell the story of “brave warriors” who “throughout Wakandan history have been tasked to travel the world retrieving dangerous vibranium artifacts.“

News Shorts: South African Artist Zahara Has Died At The Age Of 35, 2 Good 2 Be True Makes A Landing On Novelas E Plus And Becky G To Headline Upcoming Drama Series From Peacock

South Africa has lost another icon

Award-winning South African Afro-pop singer Bulelwa Mkutukana, popularly known as Zahara, has died, the country's culture minister announced.

She had been in hospital, reportedly with liver complications, and the government had been assisting the family "for some time", Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa said.

Zahara, who released five albums, won dozens of awards both local and international. In 2020, she was named in the BBC's 100 Women list.

Novelas E Plus to debut a new Asian drama, 2 Good 2 Be True

Eloy is a student and scam artist seeking the truth behind his father's imprisonment and Ali is a nurse working to become a doctor. Their lives intertwine when Eloy is led to a man who Ali works for. It airs daily on Novelas E Plus from 12 December at 20:40.

Becky G is making waves

Peacock is developing drama series Queen of Flow, a premium adaptation of Caracol Television’s Colombian telenovela, La Reina Del Flow. Jorge Reyes is attached to pen the script for the project, from Westbrook Studios and Universal Television. Singer and actress Becky G (Good Mourning, Power Rangers) is in early negotiations to lead the series, Deadline understands.

Queen of Flow is a revenge tale/music drama about a young singer-songwriter named Yeimi — the role Becky G is in talks for — who rises to fame in the music world and finds a star-crossed love with the superstar scion of a powerful family. But on her rise to the top, dark secrets are discovered about both Yeimi and the family she’s made her own that set them on a collision course towards a reckoning that could destroy them all.

The premise is described as a “Count of Monte Cristo-esque tale set against the backdrop of Latin music.”

Regular Nick Shorts: ALVINNN!!! And The Chipmunks Wraps Production On Nickelodeon, Classic 80s Game Monster In My Pocket Is Being Transformed Into A Live-Action Series And Toyline RoboForce Is Getting An Animated Series

ALVINNN!!! And The Chipmunks comes to a close

ALVINNN!!! and The Chipmunks has reportedly ended production. In a recent interview with Billboard, Ross Bagdasarian Jr., the son of the creator of Alvin and The Chipmunks, revealed that production on ALVINNN!!! and The Chipmunks officially finished "last year."

ALVINNN!!! and The Chipmunks is currently in its fifth season on Nickelodeon channels globally, with the show being renewed for seasons six and seven in 2019. It's currently unknown whether these seasons got produced before the cancelation.

Alvin and the Chipmunks was created by Bagdasarian Jr.’s father, Ross Bagdasarian Sr., in 1958 as a children’s music act. The Alvin Show began in 1961, featuring the three animated singing chipmunks — Alvin, Simon and Theodore — with sped-up voices to give them their trademark high-pitched sound. Several iterations of TV shows and films followed, including an Alvin and the Chipmunks movie in 2007 and three sequels. The current series is produced by Bagdasarian Productions - run by Bagdasarian Jr. and his wife, Janice Karman - in collaboration with Mikros Animation IP (previously Technicolor Animation Productions).

Monster In My Pocket is being revived

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Studios and Altar Rock Pictures have teamed up to develop a live-action series adaptation.

The two companies are currently meeting with writers to turn the collection of over 200 pocket-sized, collectible monsters, drawn from global myths and legend, into a series.

The brand was launched in 1989 by former Mattel execs Joe Morrison and John Weems, and have sold over 500M units globally. It has been turned into an ABC animated TV special, comic books and a Nintendo game.

RoboForce: The Animated Series is in development

The Nacelle Company has partnered with Seven Bucks Productions, the studio helmed by Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia, to co-produce RoboForce: The Animated Series. 

Nacelle announced its intention to finance the development and production of RoboForce, which is based on an ’80s toy line from the now-defunct Ideal Toy Company. Nacelle acquired the brand from Toyfinity in 2021, and released a small line of adult-targeted collectibles last year (pictured) that are selling well online and in specialty retailers across North America, Japan, Europe and Australia. 

RoboForce: The Animated Series follows lead bot Maxx 89 as he tries to reassemble the heroic crew and battle against a rogue entity infecting the Earth’s robots with code that turns them against humans. 

Head Into The Holidays With Great Prizes And The Best Shows From Cartoon Network And Cartoonito Africa

On the back of a bumper block of festive season programming this December, Cartoon Network and Cartoonito also offer fans the chance to snag some exciting prizes, thanks to our friends at Garmin.

 

How to Enter: Easy as 1-2-3!

Entering the competition is a breeze! Visit www.CartoonNetworkAfrica.com and www.CartoonitoAfrica.com between the 11th and 24th of December and head to the Festive Competition page. Answer an easy multiple-choice question to submit your entry for a chance to win incredible prize bundles valued at R3 500 each!

Exciting Prizes Await!

Three lucky winners from each channel are in for a treat – they'll snag a Garmin vívofit® jr. 3 fitness tracker for kids, accompanied by a stash of awesome Cartoon Network or Cartoonito branded goodies!

 

Adventure awaits with the kid-tough and swim-friendly Garmin vívofit® jr. 3, boasting a vibrant display and unique fitness tracker options. Kids will light up as they explore the different app adventures and mini games by completing 60 minutes of daily activity. Parents, it gets even better – use the app on your smartphone to track steps, monitor sleep, manage chores, set timers, and reward those little victories. Amp up the fun with new timed activities and friendly Toe-to-Toe™ step challenges. And for a little peace of mind, quickly see your child’s emergency contact phone number right on the device.

But that's not all! Alongside the Garmin vívofit® jr. 3, Cartoon Network's prize bundles are a vibrant delight. Picture stylish CN branded headphones, We Baby Bears plush bags, Craig of the Creek Frisbees, and Prince Ivandoe notebooks and tote bags. Cartoonito's goodies are equally delightful – Bugs Bunny Builders placemats, Batwheels sunshades, tote bags, and sticker books, all crowned by a fabulous Cartoonito backpack! Get set for excitement – gear up for the chance to win big and turn every day into a thrilling adventure!

Tune In!

Get ready for a holiday extravaganza with Cartoon Network! Starting on the 14th of December at 14:30 CAT, catch the CN Summer Festival loaded with summer vibes – parties, dancing, vacations, and epic adventures with your Cartoon Network crew. You can also dive into a Happy Christmas-themed block on the 24th and 25th of December at 16:10 CAT, featuring a brand-new Prince Ivandoe special episode among a compilation of Christmas episodes from Teen Titans Go!, Craig of the Creek, The Amazing World of Gumball and more.

Switch over to Cartoonito for extra excitement! Hop on to the Cartoonito World Tour every weekday from the 18th of December at 07:45 CAT. It's a daily adventure around the globe, from Mr. Bean to Tom & Jerry in New York and so much more. Cartoonito's then got you covered with the biggest animated stars in Movie Stars Holidays with Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, and Tom & Jerry, to name a few, from 09:40 CAT. And for that extra dose of holiday cheer, tune in for the 'Holidays on Ice' Batwheels Special followed by the ‘Looneyburg Lights’ Bugs Bunny Builders Special on the 24th of December from 08:00 CAT.

 

Stay tuned, mark your calendars, and get ready for an unforgettable adventure with Cartoon Network,  Cartoonito and Garmin.

 

Paramount Executives Could Be Exploring Selling Off Parts of the Media Company

New developments suggest Paramount might be considering exploring more media and acquisition deals.

Last week, the media company filed an 8-K form with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission that said top executives like CEO Bob Bakish, CFO Naveen Chopra, and executive vice president Christa D’Alimonte could get severance if they’re let go within two years “following the consummation of a change in control.”

On Monday, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) completed its purchase of Paramount’s Mixed Martial Arts company, Bellator. The deal was announced after Paramount said it was shuttering its Showtime sports division at the end of the year.

This year, “significant buyer interest” has seen Paramount’s stock to climb, according to Yahoo!Finance. Due to its smaller size, Paramount has historically been viewed as a potential acquisition target.

Paramount, like a majority of streaming services, has been struggling over the last few years. The loss of high viewership amid the pandemic in 2020, rising inflation rates, and increasing competition from other streamers has forced media companies to pare down workforce numbers, anticipate financial losses, and raise service prices.

The media company has taken a number of steps to keep itself afloat including relieving itself of “non-core assets.” For example, Paramount completed its sale of publishing company Simon & Schuster to investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts last month. Rumors also suggest Showtime and BET Media Group could be for sale in the future.

Last month — before the actors strike resolved — Bakish said Paramount would continue to license content beyond its own channels, Advanced Television reported. As an example, Paramount unveiled a multi-year deal with Greek pay-TV service Cosmote TV.

Bakish said content licensing provides “a robust supply of content from diverse creatives to entertain consumers” and anticipates that Paramount will begin to recoup streaming losses next year.

Noggin Will Cut The Ribbon On Its Nogginville World Next Month

Nickelodeon’s Noggin streaming app is looking to make learning more personal and help kids build real-life skills with its new game world Nogginville, which launches in early December. 

In Nogginville, kids can explore different locales from the Nick universe, play mini-games and meet their favorite characters. It’s launching with 15 different learning games (shopping for groceries and doing basic math to calculate the total, for example), Nick Jr. characters and avatars, branded locations and videos (some of which will be interactive). And the plan is to eventually expand the offering with additional branded locations and characters, including more Nick IPs and also potentially third-party brands, says Noggin EVP Kristen Kane. 

The key goal behind Nogginville is to provide a more personalized learning experience that kids can control themselves, says Kane. Noggin has to compete with numerous kids edutainment SVODs also in the market, plus it has to stand out from other streaming services that carry Nick and Nick Jr. content, like Paramount+ and Pluto. As the platform scales, focusing on interactive content, and offering a personalized, walled-garden experience have been identified as important differentiators. 

Nogginville’s game world proposition is also similar to hot platforms like Roblox and Minecraft, where kids can explore and guide their own play. But it’s built with an audience of two- to seven-year-olds in mind, which is why it’s a single-player experience that only exists within the app. 

Noggin currently has more than 1,000 educational games, videos and books in its library, and it also streams Nickelodeon series such Dora the Explorer and Blue’s Clues, Noggin originals like Noggin Knows, and third-party acquisitions including JoJo and Gran Gran (BBC Studios Kids & Family/A Productions) and Little Bear (Nelvana). 

Noggin has had success in the past with “dollhouse games” in which kids roleplay real-world skills, such as Peppa Pig: Shopkeeper. But Nogginville takes this immersive practice-makes-perfect experience a significant step further. “We like to call it a little world that helps kids prepare for the big one,” says Kane.  

Afrikaans Voice Actors For Wie Laaste Lag

Nadia Beuke as Esra

Johan Joobert as Ilan

Donovan Pietersen as Cinar

Claudia Jones as Çagla 

Eloise Cupido as Menekse

Rowlen Ethelbert von Gericke as Ekrem

Henrietta Gryffenberg as Zümrut

Mila Guy as Elif

Karin Retief as Reyhan

Kevin Smith as Yalçin

Sue Tyler as Feraye

Bernice Du Toit as Zeynep

Gustav Gerdener as Musa

Bertha La Roux as Neriman

Source: Die Afrikaans Voice Page and Insidus Plus

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir (PDF)

So begins the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, taking us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who traveled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us. . . and so much more.

In an extraordinary story that only he could tell—and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it—Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he’s found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humor, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all.

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is an unforgettable memoir that is both intimate and eye-opening—as well as a hand extended to anyone struggling with sobriety. Unflinchingly honest, moving, and uproariously funny, this is the book fans have been waiting for.

Download Now

The Fog Of Courage | Courage The Cowardly Dog | Cartoon Network

When Courage finds a mysterious amulet while digging through the yard, a Ghostly Fog covers the farm. Eustace, however, refuses to return the amulet that apparently belongs to the Fog Ghost's long lost love, Cariana. Now Courage must protect his family from the vengeful fog spirit.

Rude Removal | Dexter's Laboratory | Cartoon Network

 

"Rude Removal" is a cartoon episode originally produced in 1997 for the animated television series Dexter's Laboratory for Cartoon Network. It was intended to air as part of the second season, but was left unaired due to the characters swearing even though the swear words were censored. 

Recap To The Year: Checkered Past, A Forgotten Chapter In Cartoon Network's History

Checkered Past is a weeknight programming block currently viewed on Cartoon Network. I regard it as the international counterpart of Boing and Boomerang as the block features classic series like Ed Edd'n Eddy, Johnny Bravo, The From Adventures Of Billy And Mandy and Samurai Jack.

Since its inception from last month, Warner Bros. Discovery hasn't spoken about duplicating the offering in other countries. Can't really say I'm surprised as this content has it's own channel and some parts of Europe don't really acknowledge this part of Cartoon Network.

But I on the other would have loved to see more variety on Cartoon Network with or without Checkered Past. I feel Warner Bros. Discovery in these regions are just modernising as children still watch television in these regions unlike the US where adults dominate TV.

Something I've seen in some parts of Europe would be restrictions to shows like Samurai Jack and The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy. While the main feed can still be seen airing these shows others have gone as far as banning them for depicting violence or horror.

But hey it's kind of weird how this entertainment can have its own channel in some of these regions and be catered to the same demographic as Cartoon Network. Instead of falling under Adult Swim as viewers to have viewed had grown overtime with some exploring other interests.

For those in the mood for 90s and early 00s Cartoon Network, there's always Boing and Boomerang but majority of content can be streamed these days on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or Showmax in case you find yourself in a situation where you reside in a region without Max then always VPN.

PBS KIDS Greenlights Its First Series Built Around Autistic Characters

PBS KIDS has commissioned Fuzzytown Productions and Spiffy Pictures to produce Carl the Collector, its first series featuring a cast of characters who are on the autism spectrum.

Set for a fall 2024 premiere, this 2D-animated concept for four- to eight-year-olds was created by New York Times bestselling author/illustrator Zachariah OHora (My Cousin Momo).

Carl the Collector centers around an autistic raccoon who is smart and energetic, but who struggles with anxiety in new situations and when things don’t go according to plan. He has a huge collection of things (from the perfect fake mustache for a disguise, to a soft plushie when a friend is in need) to help him solve whatever problems his friends, who are both on and off the spectrum, are facing.

The PBS greenlight is for 40 x 22-minute episodes (each one tells two 11-minute stories). Canadian studio Yowza! Animation (Green Eggs and Ham) will handle the animation, Spiffy Pictures co-founder Adam Rudman (Donkey Hodie ) is working on scripts as head writer, and OHora will executive produce.

Advisors on board include Dr. Geraldine Oades-Sese, a licensed child psychologist and kids book author; and Stephen Shore, an autistic professor of special education at New York’s Adelphi University. “Carl the Collector will become a great tool for both autistic and non-autistic people to gain insight on autism,” says Shore.

News Shorts: Saturdays Cancelled After One Season On Disney Channel, Telemundo Temporarily Suspends Production Of Original Programming, Redemption Makes It's Freemium Debut On e.tv

Saturdays are about to be retired

 

Earlier this year, Disney launched a brand new single-cam, coming-of-age comedy series called “Saturdays” on the Disney Channel and Disney+. The show takes place on the best day of the week...Saturday! The series revolves around 14-year-old Paris Johnson and her best friends Simone and Ari, who hone their roller-skating skills on the cool parquet floor of Saturdays, a local skating rink in Chicago. Together they form the We-B-Girlz skate crew and are determined to show and prove they have the hottest skate routines on the planet!

Unfortunately, according to TVLine, the show has been cancelled because while, Disney Branded Television was high on the show, it is now focusing on building out its multicam strategy. Disney is also focusing more on shows that are based on Disney-owned IP, and will be focused on creating global tentpole programming.

Telemundo is going on autopilot

Based in the United States, Telemundo is a Spanish language television channel distributed internationally by NBCUniversal. It is home to number of original productions including My Heart Beats For Lola, Betty In New York, Fearless Heart and Aurora.

Due to declining number of TV households, Telemundo joins the lineup of premium TV channels to have lost their viewers on year end for platforms like Netflix and Disney+ and this included NBC, HBO, The CW, TNT, ABC, National Geographic, Freeform and Disney Channel.

This has resulted in the shortage of original productions as Telemundo delays production on an untitled Danilo Carrera series. Prior to that one of their current actors William Levy (Vuelve A Mí) had mentioned having numerous projects from the network taken away from him.

Internationally, the channel had to licence content from numerous studios including Colombian dramas The Chosen Granddaughter and Ana's Revenge from RCN and Caracol Television and Turkish series Cennet: The Power Of Destiny from ATV.

Redemption is coming to e.tv

Prior to the series debut on BET, it was very much announced that Redemption would be made available to e.tv. Following the cancellation of the family drama during the year, we got word that the series will air on weeknights at 20:00 from 19 November.

Set in a mega church, centres on the Zikode family. After the disappearance of Pastor Simon Zikhode (Themba Ndaba), his daughter Faith (Kwanele Mthethwa), who is on the cusp of an international music career, drops everything to come to her family's rescue.

The cast includes Tina Jaxa, Sthandiwe Kgoroge, Seputla Sebogodi, Yonda Thomas, Pearl Modiadie, Sparky Xulu, Nkone Mamejta and Toka Mtabane.

PBS KIDS-MAS! PBS KIDS South Africa Offers A Santa Sack Full Of Christmas Content For The School Holidays

Get ready for 12 Days of PBS Kids-mas, a festive extravaganza filled with 12 interactive activities designed to bring families closer and create memorable holiday moments.

PBS Kids South Africa encourages families to keep young hearts merry and bright with a diverse range of activities and content that the whole family can enjoy together. From recipes that spark culinary creativity to heartwarming e-books and fun dance lessons, there's something for everyone in our holiday Santa-sack.

In the 12 days leading up to Christmas, PBS Kids encourages families to visit https://pbskids.org/ and take part in the below activities designed for the whole family to enjoy:

1. Recipes: Whip up delicious holiday treats and share the joy of cooking with your kids.

2. Daniel Tiger e-Book: Delve into a heartwarming tale with Daniel Tiger that will capture the imaginations of young readers.

3. Learn to Dance: Get your groove on and learn some new dance moves, perfect for holiday gatherings.

4. Molly of Denali Podcast: Listen to thrilling adventures on the go – ideal for a road trip during the holiday break.

5. PBS Kids Rocks Album: Enjoy a musical journey with PBS Kids, perfect for singing along during road trips.

6. Prepare for a Trip with Molly: Add colour to your holiday preparations with a fun colouring activity featuring Molly.

7. Animal Bingo: Engage in a creative craft activity that is sure to entertain and educate young minds.

8. Donkey Hodie: Let your kids' creativity run wild with a Donkey Hodie colouring adventure.

9. PBS Kids App: Access a treasure trove of new videos every week and discover valuable parent resources.

10. PBS Kids Wash and Sing: Make bath time a blast with fun songs and entertainment.

11. PBS Kids Games: Play and learn together with exciting PBS Kids games.

12. Tune in to New Episodes of Martha Speaks: Join Martha, the talking dog, on her latest adventures. New episodes air weekdays at 4pm from Monday, 18 December only on DStv Channel 313.

The Simpsons Brings An End To Strangulation

Nothing lasts forever. In time, the continents will crash into each other once more, the sun will swallow the planet and, at some point long after that, The Simpsons will end. But that isn’t to say that it’s incapable of moving with the times before then. Because, in yet another nod to shifting tastes, Homer Simpson has revealed that he will no longer attempt to strangle his son to death.

In the third episode of the current 35th season, Homer greets his new neighbour by shaking his hand. When the neighbour comments that he wasn’t expecting such a firm grip, Homer replies: “See Marge, strangling the boy paid off,” before acknowledging that he doesn’t actually do that any more. “Times have changed,” he adds.

The move has, inevitably, riled a number of feathers. The famously tolerant GB News shrieked that The Simpsons had gone woke by refusing to depict any more scenes of an adult human repeatedly gripping a 10-year-old child by the throat so hard that he struggles for breath and his eyes bulge. Twitter has similarly been ablaze at the snowflakes in charge of their show and their apparent disdain for child abuse.

However, it’s worth pointing out that the episode wasn’t about Homer reaching a point of realisation about never strangling Bart again. It was him pointing out that he doesn’t do it any more. And he really doesn’t. Homer hasn’t strangled Bart since season 31. An entire global pandemic has come and gone in the time since Homer last strangled Bart. The fact that nobody noticed until Homer verbally acknowledged it is either a sign that the outrage machine often operates outside the realms of basic human context, or that people don’t really watch The Simpsons any more.

Either way, despite the howls of the naysayers, this is probably the right thing to do. Homer strangling Bart never sat particularly well in the bigger picture of The Simpsons. Back in 1992, when the show was in its infancy, president George HW Bush publicly remarked that American families needed to be “a lot more like the Waltons and a lot less like the Simpsons”. The line went down badly, because it only demonstrated that Bush didn’t understand The Simpsons. Yes, they were dysfunctional and often at loggerheads with one another, but the Simpson family was bonded together by a tight and permanent love. If you watched the show, you understood this perfectly.

However, it was nevertheless a loving family where the patriarch routinely punished his son by strangling him. I basically came of age with The Simpsons – I was Bart’s age when it first started airing – and the strangulation gag always seemed a bit too near the knuckle to me. I couldn’t properly verbalise at the time, but to me it undermined the basic premise of the entire show.

What’s more, it was never actually funny. The strangulation gag was unyielding in its rigidity. Other running gags, like the prank calls to Moe, could evolve and change over the years. And yet, with staggeringly few exceptions, Homer always strangled Bart in the exact same way. It was an overdone catchphrase. Even if times hadn’t changed, it would still be the weakest part of any episode.

But times have changed, and this is a sign that The Simpsons is doing its best to keep up. It wasn’t always like this. By sticking to its guns when Hari Kondabolu made his documentary The Problem with Apu, keeping Hank Azaria as the voice of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon in the face of growing criticism, The Simpsons was dragged into a long and ugly public spat. Compare this to its quiet recasting of Black characters like Carl, Lou and Dr Hibbert, replacing Azaria with Alex Désert and Kevin Michael Richardson three years ago, and you’ll see a show that doesn’t want to get its fingers burned again. Also, it might just be coincidence, but since doing this, The Simpsons has regained a lot of its old form.

And there are always workarounds. I mentioned the strangulation development to my children, who hoover up episodes of The Simpsons in vast quantities on Disney+. At first, they were just as appalled as the worst recesses of Twitter. “It’s a classic gag!” my eight-year-old wailed. “Why are they taking this away from us?” I explained that it might not be very good for a TV show to depict scenes of a father strangling his children. Eventually they agreed. And then they suggested that Homer could punch Bart instead, or maybe throw him around a bit. So, if Matt Groening happens to be reading, maybe this could be an acceptable way forward.

Dr. Phil To Launch Primetime TV Channel In The US By Early 2024

Following the end of his long-running daytime syndicated talk show, Dr. Phil McGraw is launching Merit Street Media, a new news and entertainment cable TV network. It will be anchored by Dr. Phil Primetime, which will premiere Feb. 26, 2024 and will air nightly at 8 PM ET.

No details have been revealed yet about the new network’s distribution. It is expected to have nationwide carriage, which would be no small feat in the current challenging business environment of declining linear ratings and cord-cutting.

Merit Street will be based in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where a new state-of-the-art broadcast center, spanning over 5 acres, is completing construction. Dozens of longtime Dr. Phil staffers have relocated their families to Texas to continue working alongside McGraw.

In the coming months, Merit Street will announce its full primetime lineup; the network is expected to initially offer multiple hours of original daily programming, including live news broadcasts.

Dr. Phil Primetime will stay close to the format of McGraw’s daytime show, with him continuing to offer no-nonsense advice in addition to conducting interviews with headline makers.

“I absolutely love talking to real people about real problems. People who aren’t just complaining but are actively looking for real solutions to better their lives,” McGraw said. “It all begins and ends with real people dealing with these issues for real, using common sense, fact-based information, and action plans to create results.

In the months since Dr. Phil ended its run after 21 seasons, McGraw has continued to receive requests from viewers seeking advice.

“As always, the audience will dictate our content because they are our content, and I want my viewer’s help in building Merit Street,” McGraw said. “I continue my pledge to help individuals, couples, and families have the tough conversations, face the hard realities, and get real answers for the most positive and effective outcome.”

The new show also is expected to feature some of McGraw’s conservative views on family values, immigration and education curriculum which he shared in the final years of his daytime talker. He hinted at that in his official comments about the launch Merit Street.

In the coming months, Merit Street will announce its full primetime lineup; the network is expected to initially offer multiple hours of original daily programming, including live news broadcasts.

Dr. Phil Primetime will stay close to the format of McGraw’s daytime show, with him continuing to offer no-nonsense advice in addition to conducting interviews with headline makers.

“I absolutely love talking to real people about real problems. People who aren’t just complaining but are actively looking for real solutions to better their lives,” McGraw said. “It all begins and ends with real people dealing with these issues for real, using common sense, fact-based information, and action plans to create results.

In the months since Dr. Phil ended its run after 21 seasons, McGraw has continued to receive requests from viewers seeking advice.

“As always, the audience will dictate our content because they are our content, and I want my viewer’s help in building Merit Street,” McGraw said. “I continue my pledge to help individuals, couples, and families have the tough conversations, face the hard realities, and get real answers for the most positive and effective outcome.”

The new show also is expected to feature some of McGraw’s conservative views on family values, immigration and education curriculum which he shared in the final years of his daytime talker. He hinted at that in his official comments about the launch Merit Street.

“American families and our core values are under attack,” he said. “I love this country, and I believe family is the backbone of our society. Together we are going to stand strong and fight for the very soul and sanity of America and get things that matter back on track.”

Additionally, the name of the new network, Merit Street Media, refers to McGraw’s publicly stated respect for the meritocracy on which the U.S. was built.

Veteran news and programming executive, Joel Cheatwood, known for his work at WCBS, CNN, and Fox News, will serve as Chief Operating Officer for MSM. Other staffing announcements will be made in the next few months.

Omens Inks New Global Sales Deals For Leo The Wildlife Ranger

Singapore-based prodco Omens Studios has signed a trio of new international distribution deals for its CG-animated preschool series Leo the Wildlife Ranger.

AMC International Networks has snapped up the wildlife show’s first season (60 x 11 minutes) for the Middle East and Africa, and has picked up the rights to air season two (52 x 11 minutes) across Europe. Turkish public broadcaster TRT will air both seasons of Leo on its 24/7 children’s programming channel, TRT Çocuk. Rounding out the deals is Fairfax County Schools Districts, which will broadcast the series’ second season in the US via its elementary school channel, Red Apple 21.

To date, Omens has secured more than 50 sales for the first season of Leo the Wildlife Ranger worldwide. The toon airs on linear networks including Globo (Brazil), Canal+ (Myanmar) and Warner Bros. Discovery (EMEA), as well as VOD platforms Kidoodle.TV (Canada) and Amazon Prime (US).

Earlier in March, Singapore’s national pubcaster MediaCorp commissioned Omens to produce a refreshed version of Leo the Wildlife Ranger that puts more focus on action and character development. The story takes place after the events of the original series’ second season, and the new episodes are scheduled to launch in the first half of next year.

Omens is also expanding the Leo IP on the digital side. In May, the studio developed and launched its mobile app Leo the Wildlife Ranger Games. To date, more than 10,000 users have downloaded the app on the Apple App Store worldwide. To increase its user base further, Omens is adding three additional content packs, and will launch a Spanish version of the app before the end of the year.

'Friends' Star Matthew Perry Dead At 54...After Apparent Drowning

More details are surfacing about the circumstances surrounding Matthew Perry's death...as sources tell us he actually died at his own house after some physical activity this morning.

We're told Matthew came home sometime in the AM after a 2-hour round of pickleball, and that he sent his assistant out on errand shortly thereafter. We're told when the assistant returned about 2 hours later, he discovered Matthew unresponsive...and called 911.

Unclear if what Matthew was doing before his passing played any role in his death at this point -- the investigation into his death is underway.

Law enforcement sources tell us the actor was found Saturday at an L.A.-area home ... where we're told he appears to have drowned. Our sources say first-responders rushed over on a call for cardiac arrest. It's unclear where exactly on the grounds this happened.

Our sources say he was found in a jacuzzi at the home ... and we're told there were no drugs found at the scene. We're also told there is no foul play involved.

Perry is most famous for his role as Chandler Bing on the hit '90s sitcom, which ran for 10 seasons ... and with him in all 234 episodes. His character was a fan fave, as was performance -- mannerisms and lines of which have gone on to be recreated and spoofed by fans all over the world. One comes to mind, in particular ... "Could (blank) BE more .."

While 'Friends' was his biggest claim to fame ... MP had starred/guest starred in countless other TV shows over the years -- such as 'Boys Will Be Boys,' 'Growing Pains,' 'Silver Spoons,' 'Charles in Charge,' 'Sydney,' 'Beverly Hills, 90210,' 'Home Free,' 'Ally McBeal,' 'The West Wing,' 'Scrubs,' 'Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,' 'Go On,' 'The Odd Couple' and more.

He had also acted in a handful of memorable films (mostly comedy) ... like 'Fools Rush In,' 'The Whole Nine Yards,' 'Three to Tango,' 'The Kid,' '17 Again,' 'Getting In,' and many others. He's been off the scene more recently ... not having acted since a TV mini series in 2017.

While his onscreen persona was affable and upbeat, Matthew suffered mightily behind the scenes -- notably, from his addiction to drugs and alcohol ... pain killers, specifically. He was hooked on Vicodin for years -- even while on 'Friends' -- and had been in and out of rehab.

Matthew opened up about this painful chapter of his life in a memoir he put out last year -- where he detailed the struggles he had ... including his clear weight-loss/gain on the show.

During his press run for his book ... Matthew did a number of interviews where he got incredibly emotional -- including one with Diane Sawyer, where he detailed his story.

While Perry appeared to be clean and sober a year ago, the year prior -- when he and the other cast members were plugging the 'Friends' reunion show -- drew concern from fans ... as they felt he appeared unwell, at times slurring his words and looking a bit out of it.

On top of his substance use ... Matthew also dealt with health issues, some of which were serious and required hospitalizations. One such incident stemmed from a gastrointestinal perforation -- which forced him to undergo emergency surgery ... but he luckily recovered.

Matthew never married, but he was briefly engaged to Molly Hurwitz a couple years ago...which came to an end after only 6 months. Before that, he'd been linked to Lizzy Caplan.

The Woman In Me By Britney Spears (PDF)

In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.

 

Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last. 

Download Now

Foley Is Good: And the Real World Is Faker Than Wrestling (PDF)

The book covers the last years of Mick Foley's in-ring wrestling career up until the birth of his second son, Michael Francis Foley, Jr., which he mentions in the book's epilogue.

It has a more celebratory tone than his first book, as he is writing about the time of his career where he has already achieved success. The book alternated between in-ring wrestling activities and Foley's life away from the ring. In the book, he also describes his obsessions, such as theme parks and Christmas.

He also writes about his experience writing his first book without the aid of a ghostwriter. He defends himself against being misquoted by news program 20/20, and explains the events surrounding his "I Quit" match with The Rock at the Royal Rumble in January 1999, which can also be seen in the documentary Beyond the Mat. 

The book also heavily defends the World Wrestling Federation against accusations of being violent. Foley made an effort to pointedly refute claims made by detractors, citing statistical data and other evidence he compiled himself. He criticizes the actions of the Parents Television Council.

Download Now

Reliance In Talks To Buy Majority Stake In Disney's Star Indian Business

Over the past few months, there have been many reports that Disney has been looking at its options with regards to its business in India, called Disney Star, formerly known as Star India, which it acquired when it purchased 20th Century Fox in 2019. Disney Star includes the streaming service Disney+ Hotstar, film studios such as Star Studios, an array of over seventy linear channels, and much more.

In the past few months, Disney has been having talks with many different businesses, including Sony, Blackstone, Sun TV and New Delhi TV, about potentially selling some or all of its assets in India. According to Bloomberg , Reliance Industries Ltd, which is owned by Asia’s richest tycoon Mukesh Ambani, is getting close to completing a deal to buy Disney Star in a cash and stock deal. Disney is valuing its Indian business at around $10 billion (down from the $15 billion it was worth before Disney purchased it in 2019), and Reliance is valuing the business between $7 and $8 billion.

Disney is still looking to keep a minority stake in the company, but it would sell a controlling stake in Disney Star. But it still may keep hold of some assets. There might also be some regulatory issues that could cause delays with the buyout. We’ve seen with other large mergers that the Indian government might require some assets to be sold off separately.

It’s expected that the announcement of a deal could be made as early as next month. Disney does have a quarterly financial investors call on November 8th 2024, so announcing this deal, could help Disney offset the costs of buying out Comcast’s stake in Hulu, which is estimated to cost around $9 billion. Allowing Disney to basically sell off one business to cover its purchase, allowing Disney to focus on its core markets. Reliance would merge some of its media units into Disney Star.

JioCinema, which Reliance runs, has been a thorn in Disney’s side, having paid billions of dollars to get the Indian Premiere Cricket league rights, which resulted in Disney+ Hotstar losing over 20 million subscribers. Plus, recently, JioCinema also picked up the rights to HBO content, which was then removed from Disney+ Hotstar.

It’s unknown if Disney+ Hotstar will continue in its current setup or be merged with JioCinema. Could Disney+ just operate separately in India, without the Hotstar branding and content, which could move over to JioCinema? There are certainly more questions than answers right now.

So, what does this mean for Disney+ and Hulu around the world?

At the moment, officially, no deal has been announced, and no details on what’s actually going to happen have been revealed. There are many variables and potential outcomes from Disney selling its Indian assets. Selling Star India wouldn’t likely have much impact outside India, other than a potential move away from the Star branding and maybe changing the name of Disney+ Hotstar in some countries like Indonesia.

If Disney does sell off Disney Star, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see the Star hub within Disney+ around the world, rebranded to Hulu once Disney completes its purchase from Comcast. Disney has rebranded many linear channels to Star in countries worldwide, which might be another issue that results in more rebranding. While in Latin America, Disney runs a streaming service called, Star+, which is a Hulu & ESPN+ hybrid, but there is always hope Disney unifies Star+ and Disney+ in that region, to be similar to how Disney+ works internationally. The Star brand has only been used by Disney since 2019, and arguably, the brand is very generic and could easily be changed.

Disney is still running Hotstar as a separate streaming service in many countries, including Canada, Singapore and the UK, so those could be included in the deal. Hulu does have some Hotstar content from India, so this could continue to be licensed or eventually removed.

If Disney+ Hotstar was completely sold off, it would obviously have a significant impact on the global subscriber numbers for Disney+. However, Wall Street may prefer this, since a Hotstar subscriber generally brings in less than 60 cents per month, compared to over $7 outside of India. Investors may also like a more leaner Disney, focused on its core brands.

For Disney+ Hotstar subscribers, it does bring up many questions about what happens could be merged together and what the future is for its content. Internationally, it brings the Star branding into question. But ultimately, Disney does seem like its less interested in running a vast linear, streaming and studio business in India, instead treating it like more other countries in the world.

It’s important to note, that no final decision has been made, and Disney could still decide to hold onto the assets, but the Star Studios and linear channels, being sold off does seem much more likely.

Paramount, Home To MTV And Nickelodeon Reportedly Up For Sale or Merger

Recently, Paramount, the parent company of Nickelodeon and Paramount+, has been looking to sell some of its assets and make cuts to others. Now, according to a report from CNBC, Shari Redstone, president of National Amusements and controlling shareholder of Paramount Global, is open to a merger or selling the company if the price is right.

Shari Redstone owns roughly 80% of Paramount Global voting stock and was reportedly the main force behind merging CBS and Viacom back in 2019. That merger resulted in the company we now know as Paramount.

Paramount holds a lot of assets that would attract many potential buyers. Its local affinities and the CBS network alone are highly attractive, especially for their NFL contract. However, the company has a lot more to offer, including Nickelodeon, Paramount+, MTV, Pluto TV, Comedy Central, Showtime, and more. This also includes popular shows and franchises like SpongeBob SquarePants, Star Trek, South Park, and more.

In recent years, most media companies, including Paramount, have been struggling with the growth of  cord cutting. Paramount’s market capitalization has reportedly dropped to $7.7 billion as 2023 hit many media companies hard. That is the lowest level it has been at since the 2019 Viacom and CBS merger. That drop could make the company a target for a merger or a sale.

According to CNBC’s sources, any potential deal for Paramount would have to be at a good price or the Redstone family wouldn’t accept it. Exactly what that price is was not disclosed in the report.

Paramount has a lot going for it right now, with Paramount+ hitting 61 million subscribers, a number that other major streaming services could only dream of. It also has very lucrative sports deals, including the NFL, March Madness, and a new deal with the Big Ten that will see more college football and basketball games on CBS. This could help Paramount outlast any further drop in the market, but it also makes it very attractive to potential buyers.

Some outsiders have said they believe Paramount is too small in the long run, though, to compete with Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, and a growing number of streaming companies like Amazon along with Apple. Even with its large catalog of shows and networks Paramount is facing massive companies like Disney and the newly merged Warner Bros. Discovery.

For years we have heard predictions that there would be consolidation in the market because of cord cutting. Disney’s deal to buy 21st Century Fox was likely only the start of what could be a number of big mergers. We also saw Discovery and Warner Media merge recently. Now, there are rumors that Warner Bros. Discovery and even NBCUniversal could be interested in buying up some or all of their competitors. Could that mean they are looking at Paramount? For now, we will have to wait and see.

Colombian Actress Alejandra Villafañe Who Starred In The Chosen Granddaughter And Nurses Dead At 34

On the afternoon of Saturday, October 21, the world of Colombian show business and entertainment was shocked after learning of the death of actress Alejandra Villafañe due to severe cancer that had been afflicting her for a few months. 

You may be interested in: Alejandra Villafañe's boyfriend announced a tribute to the actress: 

“The only thing left to do is honor her life” After her departure, her boyfriend, also an actor Raúl Ocampo, decided to say goodbye to her with a short but heartfelt dedication through social networks, where he also He shared several photographs of the last moments he lived with Alejandra. 

Ocampo accompanied his girlfriend Alejandra Villafañe until her last moments of life on Instagram. In the photographs revealed by the actor who played Carlos in the production Café con Aroma de Mujer, they reveal the love that united them and how Ocampo and Villafañe enjoyed his last moments alive. 

Almost immediately, the comment box of the publication made by the artist was filled with messages of condolence, support and solidarity from family, friends, colleagues and followers of the couple, who also wished them a lot of strength for the difficult time they are now going through. 

Juliette Pardau, Lorna Cepeda, Verónica Orozco, Carla Giraldo, Natalia Jerez, Carlos Torres, among others, expressed their pain and mourning over the death of the 34-year-old actress. It is worth mentioning that before confirming the news that mourns the acting world, Raúl Ocampo rode a bicycle and went up to the traditional Patios sector, in La Calera, as he showed in his stories, because he has always shown that this sport is another of his passions.