Broadcasting
Spotify Appoints Sio as Ambassador for Equal Africa Programme
Global streaming giant Spotify is proud to announce that Sio has been selected to join the EQUAL Africa programme aimed at spotlighting female artists across the continent.
Through EQUAL, a cross-section of female artists in Africa are given the tools needed to advance their careers and close the gender gap in the music industry. Artists featured in Spotify’s EQUAL Africa programme are exposed to a global listenership, and are also provided with off-platform support and tools to bolster their careers.
“Sio is a breath of fresh air and a welcome addition to the EQUAL programme,” says Spotify’s head of music for sub-Saharan Africa, Phiona Okumu.
“Sio’s effortless contribution to several genres has put her in a class of great contemporary African artists actively creating on the continent today. It is our hope that other young women creators see this as proof that their talents can and will be recognised and supported,” she adds.
31-year-old Siobhan King, better known by her stage name “Sio,” was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is a storyteller through music, poems, performance space, design, and interpretation. Her adaptable voice and distinct ability to switch between musical styles such as Dance, Deep House, and Electro distinguish her as a spectacular artist in a new era of music.
The genre-fluid and award-winning multihyphenate tells deep, dark, difficult and sweet stories through many mediums. Sio grew up listening to artists like Sade, Boyz II Men, Kenny G, The Bee Gees, and South Africa’s own Brenda Fassie. Her music is inspired by these artists, and is influenced by her life experiences, literature and the world around her.
“As a female artist, it’s difficult to carve your own path in a world where that path has already been dictated to you. To be nonconforming and true to yourself is an act of rebellion. I’ve learned that that is the only way to navigate the male-dominated world, especially the music world – to be a woman as defined by me,”explains Sio, reflecting on her career and the difficulties she’s faced as a female singer breaking the mould.
Sio has made hits with a slew of acclaimed producers including Charles Webster, Ralf Gum, Jullian Gomes, Fka Mash and Dwson, to name a few. Affectionately dubbed the ‘career builder’ by fellow long-time collaborator, Kid Fonque, her collaborations have catapulted many musical names. Her voice and words are highly sought after in House, Electronic, Alternative and Soul music circles.
“I’ve taken it upon myself to challenge the ways women are marginalised in the music industry. That’s why I am honoured to be an Ambassador of EQUAL. I am excited about the spotlight it gives me and my music, as well as the many doors and opportunities it will afford me,” she concludes.
To tune into Sio’s unique Electro sound, listeners can stream her tracks featured on the EQUAL Africa and EQUAL Global playlists.
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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