Applications
C&S shows double-digit growth in 2012: IRS Q3
MUMBAI: Cable and satellite (C&S) television has posted double-digital growth in 2012, according to the latest figures by Indian Readership Survey (IRS).
The C&S sector‘s reach grew from 488.642 million in second quarter 2012 to 499.437 million in the third quarter. It saw a 10.5 per cent compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) from Q1 to Q3 in the calendar year of 2012, according to the findings of IRS Q3 2012, released by the Media Research Users Council (MRUC) and Hansa Research.
Media consumption for Internet continued to show the fastest growth at 27.5 per cent CAGR from 2012 Q1 to 2012 Q3. The users climbed from 39.94 million in Q2 to 42.32 million in Q3 of 2012.
The reach of television also showed positive growth from the second quarter’s 563.43 million to 571.426 million in the third quarter. The CAGR of the reach of television for the same time period is 6.1 per cent (Q1-Q3).
Radio saw a CAGR of 6.4 per cent, with increase in listenership from 158.165 million in Q2 to 159.820 million in Q3.
Meanwhile, cinemagoers grew at a CAGR of 17.2 per cent to 81.4 million in quarter three as compared to 79.25 million in the second quarter.
Newspaper readership grew by just 0.7 per cent CAGR with its reach increasing from 352.004 million in Q2 2012 to 353.33 million in Q3 2012.
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
