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.

Moshe Ndiki’s Heart-Warming Journey Into Fatherhood Premieres This January On Mzansi Magic

Rediscover charismatic TV personality Moshe Ndiki as he embarks on an exciting and transformational chapter of his life in the reality series Life with Moshe, a 13-part reality series premiering on Sunday 28 January 2024 at 19h30 on Mzansi Magic.

 

Moshe's story goes beyond the ordinary. As a black, gay man choosing the path of surrogacy to start his family, his decision challenges the dilemma of modern parenting pitted against traditional customs. With the surrogate well into their pregnancy, Moshe's life is on the brink of an emotional transformation.

From the joys of expecting twin boys to the complicated balance of his demanding showbiz career and deeply rooted family ties, Life with Moshe promises to deliver hope, joy and determination.

  

"Moshe's energy, charisma, and infectious optimism light up the screen," says Shirley Adonisi, Director of Local Entertainment Channels at M-Net. "Viewers will not only witness the highs and lows of his journey but also be able to resonate with the universal themes of love, family, sacrifice, and the pursuit of dreams."

What makes Moshe's story truly unique is the mystery that surrounds it: How does this form of parenting work? And how will traditional lineage and ancestral connection customs play out in this scenario?

 

Moshe's dedication as he navigates therapy and seeks guidance from his ever-supportive mother will move you. His interactions with close friends who stand by him through thick and thin will inspire you.

 

Don't miss the heartfelt moments, laughter, and tears as they all unfold on Life with Moshe, premiering on Sunday 28 January 2024 at 19h30 on Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 161).

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.  

Development Alert (Rumour): Tourism Queen Has An Upcoming DStv Project, Might Roll Out By Next Year

Tourism Queen Beauty Pageant South Africa is a one stop Fashion Beauty and Tourism event targeting to promote and explore the adventures in all corners of our beautiful country South Africa. This event is involves individuals from across all nine provinces to take part in this annual event.

Through their socials, it was revealed they would be made available on the DStv platform through an "independent channel" and would broadcast on online platforms. Not is known in regards to the channel or what content would be made accessible to consumers.

During the month, MultiChoice had begun field work on another TV channel which is using the frequencies of Novela Magic. Judging by the programming, this could be a female tailored channel and this would pertain shows like The Girl and also Ladies In Heels.

Taking a look at Tourism there's Dingo Untamed and Travelling Unplugged while the Queen portion of the brand has The Girl and doccies centred on Angelina Jolie and Marilyn Monroe so would it seem surprising if this two happened to be possible be the same channel.

The only setback here is that Tourism Queen is being advertised as an HD brand while the current tests reflect an SD channel. If anything, it's likely a different channel probably in relation with Soweto TV and Tourism Queen would serve as a separate addition on DStv.

Compared to previous years, MultiChoice has been very slow in allocating new channels and if Tourism Queen were to surface on the platform. Could it be added as a new addition to the platform or in place of another TV channel like Spice TV (or eExtra) for instance.

Development Alert: A Rebroadcast Of Crown Of Tears Launches On TLNovelas Across Africa, Season 2 Might Follow Shortly

A few months ago, it was reported TLNovelas would broadcast the telenovela If They Let Us (Si Nos Dejan) later in November. Following months of anticipation, the channel opted to air rebroadcast to one of their initial shows, Crown Of Years (Corona De Lágrimas).

Based on the 1965 story produced by Valentín Pimstein, Crown Of Tears follows a woman is forced to raise her three sons by herself. Now that her sons are adults, the family's relationship is affected by each of their personal matters and issues.

It starred Victoria Ruffo, Maribel Guardia, Ernesto Laguardia, Africa Zavala, Adriana Louvier, José María Torre, Mané de la Parra and Alejandro Nones.

The series was renewed for a second season with filming of that upcoming season which wrapped earlier in the year. Similar to the Overcoming franchise, it's likely that TLNovelas wants to reintroduce Crown Of Tears in order to create hype on the new season.

As for If They Let Us, it may rollout by next year possibly in another timeslot alongside the anticipated second season of Crown Of Tears. Another theory would be the channel removing the drama from its release schedule as seen with A Shelter For Love.