Paramount Global Could Close Sale Of Simon & Schuster By Year End, CFO Says; Company “Open Minded” To Broader Media M&A

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor Go big and go broad – that is Paramount Global’s strategy as it formally raises the curtain Tuesday on the Paramount+ With Showtime premium tier on the company’s primary streaming platform. Paramount+ will begin offering its new top tier of service that now encompasses Showtime’s large library of content for $11.99 per month. That’s up $2 from the previous top-end Paramount+ package. But it’s less than the cost to consumers today for both services, even with Paramount’s previous discounts for those who subscribed to both services. The company’s ad-supported Paramount+ Essential Plan (without Showtime) is going up from $4.99 to $5.99 per month.

Six people could to go on trial in the New Year after a 17-year-old was allegedly murdered in Rochdale. Three men have been charged with the murder of Callum Riley in Heywood, while three other defendants are accused of less serious offences.

Barack Obama wants to clear the air!

Kate Aurthur editor With the one-year anniversary of Dobbs v. Jackson approaching on June 24, the Showrunners for Abortion Rights — the coalition of showrunners, TV creators and directors that formed in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn of Roe v. Wade — has reemerged with a report card that gives an update on their work with the studios. The chart reveals how the 10 major Hollywood studios have responded to the group’s demands for abortion safety protocols for productions in states where abortion has been banned and criminalized. A second slide evaluates the effectiveness of the reproductive health and safety hotlines that was one of the group’s suggestions. The report — displayed here, along with a new statement from the coalition — reveals mixed results. Several studios, with Paramount/CBS leading the charge, have made strides in protecting the safety of pregnant workers over the past 10 months since this work began. Others have made incremental changes, and are working toward doing more. With lives potentially at stake, though, the coaliation would like the studios to move more quickly.

Faith Stowers’ call for Stassi Schroeder to stop publishing her “nonfactual” books may not hold water in court, attorney Neama Rahmani exclusively told Us Weekly.

Jessica Simpson spent some time with the legendary Bernie Taupin over the weekend!

Missing people investigations are an expensive but necessary part of policing in Greater Manchester. But an innovative approach to a problem which can bring anguish and trauma to famlies could potentially save the force £7m a year - and help the loved ons of those who vanish.

Ariana Madix couldn’t be happier dating Daniel Wai after dealing with the fallout from ex-boyfriend Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss’ affair. 

Jessica Alba is living life in France alongside her firstborn daughter. The 42-year-old actress and Honest Company co-founder took to social media to share photos from her experience at the French Open with her teenage daughter Honor.The pair were also in the company of Honor’s friend Jade Thompson (daughter of Giada De Laurentiis) and Alba’s friend Jen Kroog Rosenberg.

Melanie Hamrick wants to continue embracing a globe-trotting life with Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger and their little boy.

initially closed to sell it to Bertelsmann’s Penguin Random House for $2.2 billion, but that was ultimately blocked following a lawsuit from the Department of Justice. “The business is performing extremely well and while it’s not core to Paramount, it’s a really good business with phenomenal intellectual property and has had very, very strong financial performance,” he said.

Actress Alicia Silverstone endorsed 2024 Democratic candidate and top Biden challenger Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday, while admitting she’s been disappointed by the Democratic Party.

—including details of a two-year secret love affair with a woman and fellow actor who was still in the closet.Page doesn't identify the actress by name, and we don't know if this person is out privately or publicly yet, so he refers to her in the book as “Ryan” which is how her number was saved in his phone.  According to Page, he and Ryan first met at a coffee shop in LA, and fell deeply in love while filming a movie together.

Kim Cattrall is changing her tune. Despite making past comments about being scared of becoming unrecognizable due to cosmetic procedures, Cattrall admits that she has amended her outlook as she's gotten older.«I probably said that in my 40s! I’m in my 60s now and I’m all about battling ageing in every way I can,» the 66-year-old star tells  «There are so many other alternatives now, treatments that stimulate your own body to fight ageing.

Leslie Grace says she has moved on after Batgirl was shelved almost one year ago.

When it comes to altering her face, Kim Cattrall is changing her tune. Despite making past comments about being scared of becoming unrecognizable due to cosmetic procedures, Cattrall admits that she has amended her outlook as she’s gotten older.

The Undertaker is one of the biggest names in sports with an impressive 32-year career in the WWE. The iconic figure, known for his terrifying persona also nicknamed ‘The Phenom’, retired from WWE in 2020 before being inducted into the Hall Of Fame in 2022.

Khloe Kardashian is going through some serious medical struggles on Thursday's episode of. The 38-year-old reality star discovers a cancerous tumor on her cheek and doctors surgically removed it, leaving her with a massive bandage and stitches.«I guess when they were reviewing the labs a lot more than what they thought had to be removed,» Khloe explains to her concerned best friend, Malika Haqq.In her confessional interview, Khloe notes that she can barely open her mouth or even eat solid food due to stitches on the outside and inside of her cheek.«I woke up, and I had this huge bandage on my face and I couldn't really move my mouth because I had stitches on the inside of my mouth too,» Khloe shares.

Kendra Wilkinson is opening up about her love life — but also being WAY cryptic about her future with Hank Baskett!

Kyle Bowser Recent news reports suggest Paramount Global may be considering a sale of its cable channel BET. Further reports identify media moguls Tyler Perry, Byron Allen, Sean “Diddy” Combs and a partnership comprised of Shaquille O’Neil, 50 Cent, and Kenya Barris as prospective buyers of the platform, which was originally created to offer programing targeted toward Black viewers. Each of these potential suitors is more than worthy of the opportunity to helm such a significant portal of Black imagery. Still, a greater agenda raises additional considerations and a distinctive option for ownership. Founded by Robert L. Johnson in 1980, BET has been a primary hub for Black-themed content since its inception. Johnson sold the cable channel to Viacom in 2001 for $3 billion, resulting in an infusion of capital and infrastructure expansion, to include the addition of BET+ and BET Her. The broadcast schedule is populated with original scripted and unscripted programming, as well as acquired off-net fare, with daily viewership currently hovering near 1.7 million and annual ad revenues exceeding $215 million. While the mere existence of BET has demonstrated the power of the Black economy, its celebration of Black culture further highlights its prominence and influence.