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IndusInd Media mulls listing via reverse merger
MUMBAI: A rough climate to raise capital is forcing media companies to change their plans. IndusInd Media and Communications Ltd, the media subsidiary company of Hinduja Ventures Ltd, is toying with the idea of a reverse merger that would enable it to list and raise funds up to Rs 5 billion through qualified institutional placement (QIP).
The company, which operates its cable TV business under the Incablenet brand, was in talks with investors to raise capital ahead of an initial public offering (IPO) but a sudden slump in global economies seems to have hurt this plan.
“IMCL is considering a reverse listing. This will help in raising capital through QIP,” a source familiar with the development said.
IMCL managing director and chief executive officer Ravi Mansukhani could not be contacted for his comments.
Indiantelevision.com had earlier reported that IMCL was planning to raise $100 million, a major chunk of which would be used to fund acquisitions.
IMCL acquired five cable TV networks in Maharashtra last year which helped up its subscription revenue in the first quarter of this fiscal. Total income for the quarter climbed 37 per cent to Rs 1.12 billion, up from Rs 821.2 million a year ago.
“The rise in revenue is mainly due to growth in subscription revenue. The acquisitions in Maharashtra last year are showing signs of maturity,” the source said.
Carriage revenue from broadcasters has grown slowly at 10 per cent but still accounts for 63 per cent of the multi-system operator‘s total income. “Carriage income didn‘t go up as was expected but the next quarters should be stronger,” the source said.
IMCL has almost doubled its net profit to Rs 191.3 million for the three months ended June 2011, up from 100.7 million in the prior year quarter.
Ebidta jumped 90 per cent to Rs 396 million from Rs 208 million in the earlier year.
IMCL has a subscriber base of 8.5 million across 31 major cities. It has deployed 400,000 digital set-top boxes. The MSO has a backbone of over 10,000 km of hybrid fibre optic network.
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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.
