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Intelsat 33e Launches, Extending African Coverage

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Intelsat’s newest satellite, Intelsat 33e, has successfully completed all in-orbit testing and entered service as of this week, extending coverage to millions of additional end-users around the globe – including in Africa.

The Intelsat 33e is the second of the Intelsat EpicNG high throughput satellites (HTS). Manufactured by Boeing and launched in August 2016, the satellite is equipped with the most advanced digital payload on a commercial spacecraft, says Intelsat.

The New York Stock Exchange-listed company says the first multi-spot beam, Ku-Band HTS service will enable the delivery of enterprise-grade, broadband services to fixed and mobile network operators, aeronautical and maritime mobility service providers and government customers.

Intelsat 33e’s powerful spot beams will also enable the distribution of regionalised content for media customers operating in the region. It will extend Intelsat’s HTS services to Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean regions.

Africa Mobile Networks, which delivers commercial service to previously unconnected rural areas in Sub-Saharan Africa, will also use Intelsat EpicNG to help mobile network operators expand in these areas in a cost-effective manner and deliver social, economic, educational and other benefits to the population.

“The experience of implementing Intelsat EpicNG and bringing it to our customers has affirmed our beliefs about the potential of HTS,” says Stephen Spengler, Intelsat CEO.

“We have a dynamic, open and evolving platform that will increase in capability over time, providing a technology hedge for our customers that need to make investments today on which they can build for a decade of growth.”

Intelsat EpicNG services were launched in March 2016 with Intelsat 29e, which offers a footprint spanning the Americas, the Caribbean, Eastern United States and North Atlantic region. Threeadditional satellites – Intelsat 32e, Intelsat 35e and Intelsat 37e – are scheduled for launch in 2017.

Intelsat EpicNG’s global footprint will be completed with Horizons 3e, which will be launched in the second half of 2018 to extend coverage to the Pacific Ocean region and further expand presence in Asia Pacific.

Intelsat’s globalised network combines the world’s largest satellite backbone with terrestrial infrastructure, managed services and an open, interoperable architecture. The group says thousands of organisations serving billions of people worldwide rely on Intelsat to provide ubiquitous broadband connectivity, multi-format video broadcasting, secure satellite communications and seamless mobility services.


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NIPR Postpones Maiden PRICE Awards to January 25, 2026

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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 Postpones Maiden PRICE Awards to January 25, 2026

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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.


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Netflix Seals $82.7bn Deal to Acquire Warner Bros., HBO Max

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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 Seals $82.7bn Deal to Acquire Warner Bros., HBO Max

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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.


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It is Official, DStv Confirms Termination of 16 Major Channels

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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.

It is Official, DStv Confirms Termination of 16 Major Channels

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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