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Discovery, BBC to co-produce series ‘History Of The World’
MUMBAI: US non fiction media company Discovery and UK pubcaster The BBC are once again joining forces, announcing the co-production of a new series titled ‘History Of The World’.
The eight-part programme, set to premiere in 2013, spans the globe to provide the definitive account of human civilization.
From 70,000 BC to 2011 AD, the series recounts the world‘s most decisive turning points. Each episode highlights military campaigns, love stories, medical breakthroughs and assassinations, telling the story of our shared history.
Through state-of-the-art CGI technology, high-end dramatic reconstructions and stunning location footage from five continents, viewers are transported back in time to witness the events and meet the people who have changed the course of human history.
Topics to be covered include the struggle to survive the ice age, the birth of democracy, the Viking conquests, the ultimate Renaissance Man, the beginnings of the world‘s great religions, the first-ever Stock Exchange, the Trial of Galileo, the creation of a nation by slaves, the Cold War and the economic power-houses of the 21st century.
From the early settlers in Mesopotamia to the wonders of Babylon and Egypt; from the earliest Chinese Dynasties to the ancient Greeks and the Roman Empires; from the Incas and the Spanish conquistadors to the Industrial Revolution; from the Opium Wars to World War II – the show will look to reminds viewers where they came from and take them on a journey through time.
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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.
