Applications
Den plans to invest Rs 1.75 bn in FY’12
MUMBAI: Sameer Manchanda-promoted Den Networks Ltd. plans to invest Rs 1.75 billion this fiscal as it readies to aggressively push for digitisation.
Den is looking at acquisitions in Bihar and Jharkhand, two markets where there is no dominant multi-system operator (MSO). The spend on acquisitions would be in the region of Rs 250-300 million for the full-fiscal, a similar amount that it had invested in FY’11.
“We plan to acquire networks in Bihar and Jharkhand. We have the potential of being a dominant player in both these markets as there is no strong MSO in this belt,” says Den Networks president – strategy and business development MG Azhar.
Den has no plans to raise fresh capital as the share price has taken a beating and the MSO with a pan Indian presence has decided to go slow on acquisitions in the wake of a government mandate for digitisation.
“We have no plans to raise capital via equity at these valuations. Even as the government fixes a schedule for digitisation across the country, we feel there is no sense in acquiring cable TV networks. We believe the smaller cable operators will realign with the bigger MSOs like Den. Even in FY’11, we spent just Rs 250-300 million for completing acquisitions,” says Azhar.
The MSO with a pan India presence will invest primarily in seeding digital set-top boxes (STBs). “We will invest in the region of Rs 1.65-1.75 billion this fiscal, most of which will be for digitisation. We will focus on broadband after the government lays out the roadmap for digitisation,” says Azhar.
Den plans to seed 540,000 STBs in FY’12. “If the government comes out with a mndate, we are looking at seeding 2.5 million STBs,” says Azhar.
Den has a paying subscriber base of 1.35 million, which is growing at 10 per cent.
Den is sitting on a cash of Rs 2.25 billion while its gross debt is Rs 1.2 billion.
“We have obtained a debt sanction of Rs 2 billion from our existing bankers,” says Azhar.
Applications
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.
