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HBO Hits HD launches in Indonesia
MUMBAI: HBO Asia has launched HBO Hits HD, a high-definition (HD) channel, in Indonesia on First Media.
More territories are to follow soon. HBO Hits HD offers movies in high-definition, commercial free and mirrors content shown on HBO Hits.
HBO Asia CEO Jonathan Spink said, “HBO Asia became the first regional movie channel to broadcast in high definition two years ago with the launch of HBO HD. The introduction of HBO Hits HD clearly demonstrates the thirst for high definition content across the region.”
The HBO Hits HD announcement coincides with a refresh of the HBO Hits channel. Designed by HBO Asia’s in-house creative team, the refreshed HBO Hits gives viewers the impression of fast movement through on-air elements that portray impact, speed, twists and turns that are designed organically.
HBO Asia senior VP, marketing creative and content Magdalene Ew said, “The refreshed HBO Hits will retain the recognisable white and orange colours of the channel but will incorporate new elements that make the on-air look brighter, fresher and more contemporary. The refresh includes stylish, exciting and dynamic 3D effects.”
HBO Hits has a schedule where seven different movies are rotated at different times throughout each week.
HBO Hits showcases around 35 new movies on the channel each month. HBO Hits also offers movie fans the latest facts and trivia and is available in several Asian territories including Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.
HBO Hits, subtitled in local language in selected territories, is one of HBO Asia’s bouquet of five commercial-free, subscription movie channels.
The other four are HBO, HBO Signature, HBO Family and Max (a refresh of Cinemax), which is a male-skewed channel featuring non-stop action, suspense and science-fiction movies and series.
HBO Asia also offers a subscription video-on-demand service, HBO On Demand, and HBO HD, the first regional movie channel to broadcast in high definition in Asia, available in select territories.
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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.
