The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on Thursday allowed the merger of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd and Culver Max Entertainment (earlier known as Sony Pictures Networks India). This order by the Mumbai bench, headed by H V Subba Rao and Madhu Sinha, will pave the way for the creation of a $10-billion media company, the biggest in the country. The tribunal also dismissed all objections regarding the merger.
Across the board, brands use influencers like a Bhuvan Bam or Kusha Kapila as the second or third rung of their strategy. The first rung is always a celebrity that has been created outside the Internet, through mainstream media.
Reliance-Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group-controlled BIG TV has withdrawn from partnering the Indian Premier League, alleging discrimination by the league's broadcast rights-holder Sony Entertainment Television.BIG TV has communicated its decision to IPL CEO Sundar Raman, alleging that SET has decided to offer the contract to competitor Airtel DTH, though it quoted a lower price for on-air partnership, sources said. When contacted, a BIG TV spokesperson declined to comment.
Sony Entertainment Television, which recently bagged the telecast rights of the Indian Premier League, hopes to earn over Rs 300 crore (Rs 3 billion) as advertising revenue in the first season of the Board of Control for Cricket in India-promoted Twenty20 tournament.
'Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Crunchyroll, and Disney+ Hotstar are continuously expanding their Anime libraries.'
Leading broadcaster Zee Entertainment on Monday said it is planning to raise funds from the market through various routes, including issuing of equity of shares, and qualified institutions placements (QIPs). Though the company has not specified the amount it plans to raise, Zee Entertainment Enterprise Ltd (ZEEL) in a regulatory filing said its board is meeting on June 6 to consider the proposal for this.
The Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on Wednesday directed Zee Entertainment to convene a shareholders' meet on October 14 for approving the merger with Culver Max Entertainment (formerly Sony Pictures Network). The order, passed on August 24, but uploaded to the bourses on Wednesday, comes close on the heels of the Competition Commission of India (CCI)'s observation that the $10-billion merger could hurt competition and that greater scrutiny of the deal was needed. "This Tribunal hereby directs that a meeting of the equity shareholders of the applicant company (Zee) be convened and held on Friday, October 14, 2022 at 4 p.m. for the purpose of considering, and if thought fit, approving the proposed scheme," the NCLT order read.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights demanded Sony Pictures Networks take down an episode of the dance reality show Super Dancer Chapter 3 where judges were allegedly seen asking a minor 'vulgar and sexually explicit' questions regarding his parents on stage.
Netflix has announced a thrilling line-up for 2025.
Siddharth Roy Kapur's RKF aims to raise around $50 million by offering up to a 50 per cent stake in the company.
Billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries has completed the merger of its media assets with the India business of global media house Walt Disney and formed a joint venture with a valuation of over Rs 70,000 crore. The JV will be one of the largest media and entertainment companies in India with a combined revenue of approximately Rs 26,000 crore and will be led by Nita Ambani as its chairperson, according to a joint statement.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff's first Most Valuable Player Index for IPL 2025.
Allu Arjun's biggest blockbuster, Satyajit Ray's story and Spidey's exciting new avatar, Sukanya Verma lists her recommendations on OTT this week.
Investment firm Invesco Developing Markets Fund, the largest shareholder in Zee Entertainment Enterprises, on Thursday said it will support the Zee-Sony merger deal and has decided not to pursue the call for ZEEL EGM to remove managing director and CEO Punit Goenka and two independent directors. The company said it will support the merger of Zee and Sony, contending the "deal in its current form has great potential for Zee shareholders" but added if it is not completed as currently proposed, Invesco retains the right to requisition a fresh EGM. Two days after the Bombay high court ruled that Invesco's call for EGM was legally valid, the investment firm in a statement said, "Since we announced our intention to requisition an EGM and add six independent directors to Zee's Board of Directors, Zee has entered into a merger agreement with Sony.
Sony Pictures Networks India Pvt Ltd (SPNI) and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) on Wednesday said they have signed definitive agreements for their merger following conclusion of an exclusive negotiation period during which both parties conducted mutual due diligence. In a joint statement, the two companies said they have "signed definitive agreements to merge ZEEL with and into SPNI and combine their linear networks, digital assets, production operations and program libraries". The agreements follow the conclusion of an exclusive negotiation period during which ZEEL and SPNI conducted mutual due diligence, it added.
Competition Commission of India on Wednesday said it has approved the merger of the media assets of Reliance Industries and Walt Disney Co to create the country's largest media empire. The deal, announced six months ago, has been cleared by the CCI with certain modifications proposed by the two parties.
The National Company Law Tribunal's (NCLT's) declaration that Zee Entertainment is bankrupt adds a new measure of uncertainty to the proposed merger with Sony. Three entities -- Aditya Birla Finance, IndusInd Bank and YES Bank -- have filed appeals in the NCLT for recoveries of Rs 130 crore, Rs 90 crore and Rs 540 crore, respectively. The money was borrowed by a related party - Siti cable - and not returned. Zee was a corporate guarantor.
'When there is a money crunch in the industry, actors like us are the ones who face budget cuts. Not the big actors.'
Bring me the mundane lives of the working class next. At least, it won't be as embarrassing as this, asserts Mayur Sanap.
Unprecedented bribery charges, farewells, separation, failed union, monumental mergers and record-breaking IPOs, along with a healthy dose of online happenings in the form of spat and lessons in customer care, corporate India saw it all in 2024.
Stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma is back with his show and while the set is bigger and the look is grander, the gags are still the same, feels Namrata Thakker.
Kapil Sharma will be back on telly!
It's a mixed plate in theatres this October, and OTT has a lot of interesting releases coming up as well.
Kraven The Hunter feels like a missed opportunity, a film that could have offered a fresh take on a complex character but settles for mediocrity, observes Sonil Dedhia.
The year was rich in content as far as Web series were concerned.
The last two months of the year have plenty of entertainment to offer.
Arjun Menon looks at 2024's top Web series from South India.
This was the highest rated show in the week under consideration (August 17-23, 2014). The show outdid shows like Diya Aur Baati Hum (Star Plus), Jodha Akbar (Zee Tv) and Kumkum Bhagya (Zee TV).
There's also Call Me Bae, Ananya Panday's OTT debut.
The CCI has asked the companies to explain within 30 days why an investigation should not be ordered.
Legendary Sachin Tendulkar, presented the Championship trophy to the victorious Chicago Cricket Club as the National Cricket Championship ended on a memorable note.