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AsiaSat adds 3 Indian channels
MUMBAI: The leading Asian satellite operator Asia Satellite Telecommunications (AsiaSat) has signed a new agreement with Pride East Entertainments for C-band capacity on AsiaSat4.
With the deal in place, AsiaSat4 will deliver three Indian free-to-air satellite channels – News Live, Rang and Ramdhenu – serving audiences in the North Eastern region of India and across the country.
News Live is a 24-hour news and current affairs satellite channel broadcasting in Assamese and English languages. Rang offers Assamese, Hindi and English language entertainment programmes, whereas Ramdhenu, a new satellite channel, broadcasts music and lifestyle programming in Assamese, Hindi and English languages.
“We are pleased to join AsiaSat‘s satellite fleet to expand our services in North Eastern India in particular but also to the entire country and across the region. Through AsiaSat 4‘s high-power coverage, we are excited to introduce our television services to a larger South Asian audience group across AsiaSat 4‘s region-wide C-band footprint,” said Pride East Entertainments CEO Caushiq Bezboruah.
“AsiaSat warmly welcomes Pride East Entertainments to AsiaSat‘s South Asian channel neighbourhood. We are pleased that Pride East appreciates our flexible, reliable and excellent coverage and customer service,” said AsiaSat president, CEO William Wade.
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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.
