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The CW, Hulu in five-year licensing agreement
MUMBAI: The CW Television Network, a joint venture of US media conglomerate CBS Corporation and Warner Bros Entertainment, has announced a five-year licensing agreement with Hulu, a site and over-the-top (OTT) subscription service, for the rights to stream in-season episodes of The CW‘s programming on the Hulu Plus subscription service and the free, ad-supported Hulu service.
With this agreement, Hulu Plus will be the only online subscription service to carry in-season episodes of The CW‘s drama and reality series, with the five most recent episodes of each show available to subscribers the next day after broadcast. Users of the free, ad-supported Hulu service will be able to watch five episodes of current season programming eight days after airing on The CW.
Available later this year, programming on Hulu and Hulu Plus will begin with the nine series on The CW‘s Fall 2011 schedule, including new series Ringer, Hart of Dixie and The Secret Circle, as well as returning shows The Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl, Supernatural, Nikita, 90210 and America‘s Next Top Model.
The CW president Mark Pedowitz said, “Our new arrangement with Hulu only affirms the incredible value of The CW‘s series, as well as amplifying the immense power of the broadcast network model. As we increase the amount of year round original programming on The CW, this deal provides our shows with greater exposure on a new platform, helping build even more awareness that will drive viewers back to the network and its affiliates. We see this as a win for everyone involved, the network, the stations, Hulu and ultimately, the viewers.”
Hulu senior VP of content Andy Forssell said, “The CW programming is a great example of the kind of in-season content we want to make available on our service – high-quality, engaging, serialised shows that fans passionately love. Making these shows available on Hulu and Hulu Plus will allow new and existing fans to get their fix of The CW‘s great shows anytime and anywhere.”
The new agreement with Hulu delivers more ways for viewers to catch up with The CW‘s serialised dramas and reality series, and provides the network with valuable off-air promotion and marketing to grow its brand, as well as increase awareness for its series. The CW‘s content can also be made available online through authenticated cable providers.
The CW, which last year introduced a digital convergence strategy for broadcast and online ad sales, will continue to present its programming on cwtv.com with a full complement of advertising, prior to streaming on the free Hulu service.
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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.
