MUMBAI: US talk show queen Oprah Winfrey has topped Forbes? list of highest paid celebrities, although her talk show came to an end.

Winfrey earned $165 million, $125 million less than last year, according to Forbes.

The bulk of the earnings dive comes from lost income on The Oprah Winfrey Show, but her diversified portfolio includes O: The Oprah Magazine, spin-off shows like The Dr. Oz Show and a radio deal with Sirius.

A close second is director Michael Bay who made $160 million due to ?Transformers:Dark of the Moon?. He, Forbes notes, takes a solid chunk of the profits. He also earns big from Transformer toys. Adding to Bay?s coffers this year: a Transformers ride at Universal Studios in Hollywood.

Another director Steven Spielberg is in third spot with $130 million. His company DreamWorks moved into television in a big way this year with four new shows, including Terra Nova and Smash. His two movies ?The Adventures of Tintin? and ?War Horse? got Oscar nominations.

Film producer Jerry Bruckheimer made $115 million. Bruckheimer?s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides was one of the highest-grossing films of 2011, bringing in $1 billion at the global box office. This was contrast to 2010 when his two big films, Prince of Persia and The Sorcerer?s Apprentice stumbled at the box office.

Music producer Dr. Dre made $110 million. Others in the list include Tom Cruise who made $75 million from ?Mission Impossible 4?. Actor Tyler Perry earned $105 million, while Howard Stern made $95 million.

James Patterson is the highest paid author making $94 million. Television personality Simon Cowell made $90 million while filmmaker George Lucas also made the same amount, Forbes said.

MUMBAI: Two US cable networks from Time Warner, TBS and TNT, will aim toundertake a transformation over the next two years, evolving from linear television networks into branded video destinations.

Revealing their strategy for growth in the future at the annual upfront presentations in New York, TNT and TBS also unveiled their original series lineups for 2012?13. They also announced a diverse range of new projects indevelopment from creative partners as author David Baldacci, filmmaker Michael Bay, Steven Bochco, author Tom Clancy, actor Matthew McConaughey and talk show host Conan O?Brien.

Turner Entertainment Networks president Steve Koonin said, "Ourstrategy is designed to confront the challenges of an ever?growing media universe by focusing on the strength of our brands, the power ofour programming and the ability to deliver branded video content that can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere and on any device. To reach our destination, we will focus on leading with the strength of the TBS and TNT brands."

Turner will cement each network?s foundation with popular, high?profile acquisitions; expand the lineup of scripted and unscripted original series to a year?round model, and maximise multi?screen opportunities.

Turner Broadcasting System president of sales, distribution and sports David Levy said, "As viewer habits progress and we evolve into a One Media World, advertisers continue to look for opportunities to engage with consumers on multiple screens and platforms. Turner?s leading portfolio of linear and digital brands, with enhanced original content, provides our advertising partners with greater reach for their messages, across multiple screens, genres and demographics."

TNT has nine original series on tap this summer, more than any other time in the network?s history. Among the new series joining the network are ?Dallas? and TNT?s first?ever reality?competition show, ?The Great Escape?. TNT is also building its originals slate with the recently greenlit medical drama ?Monday Mornings? and the unscripted series ?Boston Blue? (working title) and ?72 Hours? (working title).

TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) president, head of programming Michael Wright said, "At TNT, we?re expanding our programming horizons with new forms and new genres ? like we did last year with Falling Skies ? and we?re reaching out to new audiences.

Whatever the form or genre, we?re using what we call the ?popcorn mindset? as the guiding principle behind all our development. From a story telling perspective, that simply means that TNT?s dramas are meant to entertain and excite viewers, take them on a ride and land them safely at the end."

TBS?s slate of original programming is being developed with two types of comedy lovers in mind. "The Big Bang Theory gives us an ideal foundation from which to launch original series that target our audience of ?comedy relatables,? who like comedy that reminds them of their own lives, while Family Guy is one of our anchors for ?comedy rebels,? who enjoy more irreverent, provocative comedy," Wright said.

For the comedy relatables, TBS is premiering two new sitcoms this summer, each of which will be paired in the lineup with ?The Big Bang Theory?. This week, TBS will kick off ?Men at Work?, followed in July by the launch of ?Sullivan And Son?.

Later this year, TBS will also debut the scripted comedy series ?Wedding Band?, followed in early 2013 by the remiere of ?Cougar Town?, now a TBS original series. For the comedy rebels, TBS?s slate includes shows like the competition series ?King of the Nerds? (working title) and the newly greenlit ?Deon Cole?s Black Box? and ?Who Gets the Last Laugh?? (working title).

TNT?s scripted series in development include ?King and Maxwell?. Author David Baldacci?s characters Sean King and Michelle Maxwell aren?t your typical pair of private investigators. Both are former secret service agents, and their unique skill set (not to mention their razor?sharp chemistry) often gives them a leg up on both suspects and conventional law enforcement. Baldacci serves as a
consultant on the project.

?The Last Ship? is an action/adventure project based on the novel by William Brinkley, the crew of a naval destroyer is forced to confront the reality of a new existence when a pandemic decimates most of the earth?s population. Michael Bay (Transformers) intends to direct the pilot if it is green lit.

?Legends? is a drama being developed by Howard Gordon, Jeffrey Nachmanoff and Mark Bomback from the novel by Robert Littell. The story follows a deep?cover operative named Martin Odum, who has an uncanny ability to transform himself into a different person for each job. But his own identity comes into question when a mysterious stranger suggests that Martin isn?t who he thinks he is.

Meanwhile ?Tom Clancy?s Homeland Security? is an event?based procedural written by Javier Grillo?Marxuach and set in Tom Clancy?s world of espionage pits a select team of domestic intelligence operatives against enemies within and without, from narco?traffickers and nuclear terrorists to cyber?criminals and human smugglers.

Unscripted series in development include ?American Troubadours?. This comes from one of the executive producers of ?American Idol? and film star Matthew McConaughey. The reality show aims to discover the best unsigned bar band in America, singer/songwriter bands that represent the greatest tradition of rock and roll.

?Cold Justice is a docu?drama that will follow former prosecutor Kelly Siegler and crime scene investigator Yolanda McClary as they crack cold cases.

TBS? scripted series in development include ?The Kid?. To try and get his game back, a young and socially naive golf prodigy named Quinn teams up with Joey, an unconventional new caddy. But much to the dismay of his father, Quinn learns more than just golf, as this new duo makes its way into the high?rolling, fast?moving big?time world of professional golf. The Kid is written by Donald Todd from a story by Sports Illustrated senior writer Michael Bamberger and writer Jay Hass, along with David Morse and professional golfer Phil Mickelson?s longtime caddy, Jim "Bones" Mackay.

Conan O?Brien serves as executive producer on ?Zone Lord? a sitcom with an intergalactic twist. Three roommates awake one morning to discover an evil but very hip alien has moved into their building, along with his diminutive navigator.

TBS? unscripted series in development include ?Norm MacDonald is Trending?. TBS has ordered a pilot presentation of this talk show from some of the executive producers behind Sports Show with Norm MacDonald and Real Time with Bill Maher.

Mumbai: Prime Focus Limited (PFL), a global visual entertainment services group that provides creative and technical services to the film, broadcast, and advertising market is proud to announce that it has contributed services to 5 out of 10 Oscar contenders.

With the shortlist for the Visual Effects Oscar 2012 announced, Prime Focus has contributed to 5 out of the 10 films which are in the running. The work ranged from creating complex VFX shots for Tree of Life and X-Men, to being the lead 2D-3D converter for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, to completing 3D conversion and delivering stereoscopic VFX shots for Transformers: Dark of the M oon and supplying on-set equipment to Hugo.

Prime Focus was the lead contributor in the 3D conversion of the highest grossing film of 2011 and third in the all time list, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, delivering 400 3D shots in the movie. On completion of the film director David Yates said, "Prime Focus delivered on every level and helped make our 3D conversion all that we could have hoped for and more."

As the leader in the 2D-3D conversion space, Prime Focus delivered stereoscopic 3D visual effects and converted 230 shots into 3D for Michael Bay?s Transformers: Dark of The Moon which went on to be the fourth highest grossing film of all time and second highest grossing film of 2011, collecting around $1.12 billion at the box office.