Broadcasting
BHM’s Ayeni Adekunle to Speak on Free Media and Freedom of Speech at Global Communications Summit
The founder and CEO of BHM Ayeni Adekunle, has been announced as a speaker at the ICCO Global Summit in London on November 17, 2021.
Ayeni’s session, titled ‘Freedom of Speech and Free Media’, will examine the fundamental human right of freedom of expression, the benefits of having independent media and implications of these on the PR industry across the world.
Ayeni will be joined by other agency CEOs alongside experienced Communications Directors and consultants from over thirty different countries. Speakers will focus on emerging trends and unresolved issues within the practice, leading to critical discussions that will challenge PR practitioners to reevaluate the industry.
Speaking ahead of the event, Ayeni said: “We have a lot to learn, and to do, if we are being honest, about ensuring absolute freedom of speech and free media; be it in Nigeria, my home country where Twitter remains banned and journalists are regularly censored and harassed, or in America and Europe where, as we continue to see, the entire concept is threatened by cultures more potent than government; and the gatekeeping has since been handed over to an industry that refuses to be accountable.
“There has never been a better time for communicators to take a stand – not just with words on paper; but with everything we do – our ethics, our counsel, our investments, our causes; even the kind of clients we choose to work for; and the kind of agenda we amplify.”
Ayeni is a Nigerian entrepreneur and consultant with interests in public relations, advertising, media innovation, Human capital development, technology, and entertainment. Ayeni started his career as a journalist spending over 10 years in the field before founding BHM in November 2006. The company currently serves a wide range of high-end clientele spread across different sectors including FMCGs, Telecommunication, and Media Services.
BHM is also the first African Platinum Sponsor of the summit. Commenting on the move to sponsor the over 20-year-old annual event, Ayeni said: “By putting BHM at the forefront of activities like the ICCO Summit, we are making ourselves heard and deepening our engagement with the international PR community. I hope to see greater African participation and representation at every level in global organisations and events. This is just the beginning.”
BHM’s Enitan Kehinde, ID Africa’s Femi Falodun, and Magna Carta’s Moliehi Molekoa will also participate in different sessions, as part of a full BHM delegation.
Nitin Mantri, President, ICCO added: “ICCO is a global organisation, and it is important that is reflected not just in our diverse, international speaker programme and membership but also our sponsor line up, so I am delighted that Ayeni has taken this step to support the event, which is a really positive statement of intent and ambition from him and his agency.”
Ayeni Adekunle will bring his unique viewpoint on bridging communications between Africa and the UK, and how diversity, technology, and advocacy will change the world as we know it.
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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