Broadcasting
Port Harcourt Hosts Etisalat Sponsored Nigerian Idol 4 Auditions
Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State was agog recently when the search for the next set of super music talents arrived at the Garden City for the auditions of the Nigerian Idol Season 4, proudly sponsored by Etisalat Nigeria.
Despite the heavy traffic in the city early in the day, talented youths who apparently have been preparing for the day trooped in as early as 7am into the venue in large numbers.
Within a twinkle of an eye, the Presidential Hotel venue, in the GRA area of the city was filled to the brim with participants some from neighbouring states, seeking the opportunity to perform in front of the judges and gain a chance to enrol in the show when it commences in Lagos, in March, 2014.
Speaking during the audition, one of the judges, Dare Art Alade expressed happiness with the progress the show has recorded in previous seasons. He further disclosed that Nigerian Idol is again looking for young talents that can use the Etisalat sponsored platform to jump-start their musical careers and hopefully become superstars.
Other judges of the Nigerian Idol season 4 are Nigerian born German singer, songwriter and MOBO Award Best African Act, Nneka Egbuna and Nigerian afrobeat/highlife musician, Dede Mabiaku of the West African Idol fame.
One of the contestants who received a golden ticket from the judges after her performance, Chidinma Okpara, said she is overwhelmed and short of words to describe how she feels.
In her words, “It never occurred to me that I could get a golden ticket to the competition. I only hopped to do my song and get three yeses from the judges. I was surprised when the judges said I that gave them a fantastic performance and handed me a golden ticket which automatically takes me straight to Lagos to compete with other shortlisted candidates.”
Reiterating Etisalat’s commitment to the show, Elvis Daniel, head, Youth Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, said the goal of Nigerian Idol is not just about the monetary rewards, but about building capacity in the contestants through music lessons that they receive during the show, exposure to highly-rated musicians and the extraordinary ‘high-powered spirit’ of Etisalat.
“More than just a talent competition, Etisalat-sponsored Nigerian Idol allows viewers a unique opportunity to follow day by day, the behind-the-scene progress of the contestants in their quest for fame. The contestants will also be given the opportunity to meet and perform alongside their favourite stars who will be conducting exclusive master-classes and sharing their wisdom and tips for success.” Daniel said.
The audition train moves to Calabar on the 8th of February at Monty Suites, Esuk Utan, Calabar, and Makurdi on the 15th of February at Smileview Hotel Extension, Makurdi. The final stage of the auditions will hold in Lagos at Dream Studios, Omole on the 22nd and 23rd of February.
The show will air on select cable and terrestrial television stations starting March 1.
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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NIPR Postpones Maiden PRICE Awards to January 25, 2026
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