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Axel Springer Digital TV Guide joins NDS recommendation engine partner programme
MUMBAI: NDS, which provides technology solutions for digital pay-TV, has announced that Axel Springer Digital TV Guide, a leading provider of advanced video content discovery for new television platforms, has joined the NDS Recommendations Engine Partner Programme.
Through the NDS Recommendations Engine Partner Programme, NDS will offer Axel Springer’s personalised video discovery and recommendation solution to its customers as a partner in recommendation engine based initiatives.
Axel Springer has experience in editorial content creation and editorial recommendations for print and online programme guide services, as well as intelligent, personalised recommendation and content discovery technology.
Springer’s service, introduced to consumers in leading European markets during 2010, facilitates self-learning personalised recommendation technology across a range of distribution platforms, enabling operators to deliver an enriched experience to their subscribers. Rather than having to search actively for appropriate content, with Axel Springer’s platform, personalised content from multiple entertainment sources is presented for users to view at their convenience.
Axel Springer Digital TV Guide MD Stephan Zech said, “Our reach in the German content market enables us to add great value in the field of content discovery for German pay-TV operators. With a solution that addresses the needs of both the operator and the viewer, we look forward to working with NDS to enrich the viewing experience”.
NDS Europe VP sales, GM Yves Padrines said, “Aiding content discovery is a key element for increasing ARPU and reducing churn on pay-TV platforms. With the incorporation of a recommendations service, based on viewer preferences and viewing history, operators are enabled with a powerful tool to maintain subscribers and increase the relevance of their viewing.
“Axel Springer provide a great opportunity for added value content discovery in the German market, with existing access to a wealth of programming information; they are a welcome addition to the Recommendations Engine Partner Programme.”
As the 4th company to join the NDS Recommendations Engine Partner Programme, the addition of Axel Springer further expands the choice of pre-integrated partners for NDS custom.
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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.
