Broadcasting
COVID-19: MultiChoice Nigeria Doles Out N1.2Bn Support Package
MultiChoice Nigeria has announced a number of initiatives to support the Federal and Lagos Governments’ efforts in ameliorating the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria.
The leading entertainment and media company’s contribution in the fight against Covid-19 includes cash support of N200m and N50m to the Federal and Lagos State Governments respectively, the donation of 10,000 certified test kits to the NCDC, Public Service Announcement Covid-19 prevention tips in English, Pidgin, Ibo, Yoruba and Hausa languages as well as approved inventory worth over N550m highlighting the NCDC’s Covid-19 Helplines and PSAs on more than 10 channels across DStv and GOtv.
The company will also cover the remuneration for engaged creative industry professionals whose productions have been disrupted, with a committed sum of up to N400m.
As seen in the most hard-hit countries, the availability of test kits and supplies for medical personnel have been some of the biggest challenges in fighting the pandemic.
The outbreak has also had a direct impact on individual businesses and general economic activities.
Nigeria’s creative industry has been particularly affected, with ongoing productions suspended in response to government’s advisory on public gatherings and social distancing.
MultiChoice Nigeria’s intervention, in line with its values as a responsible corporate organisation and leader in the media and creative sector, is aimed at supporting the authorities in fighting the pandemic and reducing its attendant impact on Nigeria’s national economy.
According to Mr. Adewunmi Ogunsanya (SAN), chairman MultiChoice Nigeria, “We are donating 10,000 certified test kits to support the great work being done by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Health. In addition to these, we are also contributing N250 million to the Federal and Lagos State Governments’ efforts in providing adequate healthcare delivery facilities to fight Covid-19. We are doing this because we recognize the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has on Nigerians and the economy. We hope our contributions to NCDC, the Federal and State Governments, alongside other donations, will go a long way towards effective management of the outbreak.”
Additionally, John Ugbe, CEO of MultiChoice Nigeria added, “We have committed N550million worth of inventory to public service announcements in our indigenous languages in addition to English and Pidgin to ensure that every Nigerian understands how to prevent COVID-19 or call for help through the NCDC helplines. Also, the creative industry salary payment of up to N400 million will offer a much needed financial reprieve for producers, actors, and technical talent currently contracted to MultiChoice Nigeria, whose livelihoods have been disrupted by the pandemic.”
Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has announced the postponement of its maiden annual Public Relations, Reputation, Ideas, Concepts and Excellence (PRICE) Awards and Prizes to January 25, 2026.
NIPR
The event, earlier scheduled for December 7, 2025, was deferred to accommodate stakeholders whose observance of Christmas festivities had commenced earlier than expected.
Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr. Israel Opayemi, urged stakeholders to note the new date and prepare to participate in the ceremony.
He said the awards would motivate professionals, practitioners and scholars, while enhancing Nigeria’s global competitiveness in the public relations ecosystem and strengthening brand equity for all stakeholders.
Opayemi reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to delivering a best-in-class award administration and ceremony, describing the PRICE Awards as a credible and enduring platform to identify, celebrate and elevate outstanding individuals, campaigns and organisations shaping the public relations landscape across sectors.
The development of the PRICE Awards peaked in September 2025 when the NIPR President and Chairman, Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku, inaugurated a 12-man committee to organise the maiden edition. The inauguration followed the Council’s adoption of the report of a technical team tasked with establishing the awards.
Netflix has announced a landmark agreement to acquire Warner Bros. and HBO Max in a transaction valued at $82.7 billion, a move analysts say will reshape the global entertainment industry.
Netflix
The deal, which includes Warner Bros.’ film and television studios, HBO, HBO Max, and Warner Bros. Games, was unanimously approved by the boards of both companies. Under the terms, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shareholders will receive $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in Netflix shares for each WBD share.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos described the acquisition as “a defining moment” for the streaming giant, noting that the company intends to maintain Warner Bros.’ current operations while expanding its production capacity.
“By combining Warner Bros.’ incredible library of shows and movies with Netflix’s culture-defining titles, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling,” Sarandos said.
The transaction is expected to close within 12 to 18 months, following the planned spin-off of WBD’s TV networks division, Discovery Global, in 2026. Netflix projects annual cost savings of $2–3 billion by the third year after completion and expects the deal to be accretive to earnings per share by year two.
Industry groups, including the Directors Guild of America and Cinema United, have raised concerns about the impact on movie theaters, while regulators are expected to scrutinize the deal over antitrust issues. Netflix has pledged to continue supporting theatrical releases, with Warner Bros.’ cinema commitments running through 2029.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav hailed the agreement, saying it “combines two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world to bring to even more people the entertainment they love.”
Observers note that the acquisition comes 15 years after former Time Warner chief Jeff Bewkes dismissed Netflix as “the Albanian army,” underscoring the dramatic shift in the entertainment landscape.
A major shake‑up rocks viewers and subscribers of DSTV/GOTV as many channels are set to shut down and be removed on January 1, 2026.
The trigger for the upcoming shut‑down is a breakdown in negotiations between the owners of multiple global channels and the pay‑TV operator.
As of December 2025, the deal between Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and DStv/GOtv has expired and the two parties have not reached a renewal agreement.
Without a new carriage/distribution agreement, the channels belonging to WBD risk being pulled off the DStv/GOtv line‑up.
This is the most significant content cutback the service has seen in years.
The affected channels are:
Discovery Channel
TLC
Cartoonito
Cartoon Network
CNN International
Food Network
The Travel Channel
TNT
Investigation Discovery
Real Time
HGTV
Discovery Family
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