Applications
IndusInd Media plans to raise $100 mn ahead of IPO
MUMBAI: IndusInd Media and Communications Ltd, the media subsidiary company of Hinduja Ventures Ltd, plans to raise $100 million, a major chunk of which will be used to fund acquisitions.
The multi-system operator (MSO) has separately raised Rs 1 billion of debt from General Electric (GE), a senior executive in the company said.
IMCL, which operates its cable TV business under the InCablenet brand, has mandated Deutsche Bank to raise fresh capital.
“We are in the market to raise $100 million. We have mandated Deutsche Bank for this. We are looking at various options including convertible instruments,” IMCL managing director and chief executive officer Ravi Mansukhani told Indiantelevision.com.
IMCL plans to use three-fourth of the amount raised for acquiring cable TV networks. “We are looking at small and big-ticket acquisitions. We want to build size and up the valuations of the company before we head for an initial public offering (IPO) in future date. For digitisation, we have a separate funding plan to meet the capex requirements,” said Mansukhani.
IMCL had earlier planned an IPO but changed its stance as the newly listed cable TV entities, Den Networks and Hathway Cable & Datacom, have dropped in market value.
“We believe the value of the top-rung MSOs will get a significant boost once the government fixes up a schedule for digitisation. We want to also expand on our size before we go for a public float,” said Mansukhani.
Even on the acquisition front, IMCL has changed gears. Earlier, the focus was to buy small-sized cable TV networks and expand geographies.
“We see an opportunity out there when the other MSOs are not on a buying spree. The valuations have dropped and we are ready to make big-ticket acquisitions ahead of the government’s digitisation schedule. The acquisition focus now will be not on expanding into new geographies but on consolidating and growing in existing operational cities,” said Mansukhani.
IMCL plans to have a strong broadband story once the digital path is properly spelt out. The MSO is currently experimenting on new technologies where it will not have to entirely overhaul its network to load on broadband capability.
“We won’t have a problem building up broadband revenues once we have pushed the digital set-top boxes in. The script will change after the government announces the sunset date for the digitally notified areas. It is companies like You Telecom who will need to grow their cable TV presence in order to provide broadband,” said Mansukhani.
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.
