Applications
Videocon d2h offers channels a la carte
NEW DELHI: After Tata Sky and Airtel Digital TV, it is now the turn of Videocon d2h to launch a la carte services to meet the regulation, prescribed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai).
Videocon d2h will launch the services within a week, allowing customers to choose and pay for the channels they want to watch in any category.
The direct-to-home (DTH) operator said the channels are being priced economically and will go to help customers create their own pack with only individual channels or do a mix-n-match of the existing packs with standalone channels.
Videocon d2h claims to have the maximum number of channels and services with a strong regional content for their specific audiences along with all the sports channels on board.
Videocon Group director Saurabh Dhoot said, “We are offering a la carte services to our customers, which will enable them to choose and enjoy viewing as per their choice. They can select from the slew of offerings. This will empower the customer to package his own channels that he prefers to watch. We are rolling out our a la carte services within a week so that our subscribers can choose and enjoy as per their choice now.”
Meanwhile, Videocon d2h has chosen the Bangla actor-producer Prasonjit to endorse ‘Active Music Bangla Devotional Channel‘. This is expected to woo d2h penetration across Bengali speaking audiences in the country.
Stressing on this regional thrust, Dhoot said, “We have had excellent growth rates from the time of launch. Our objective is to catalyse our penetration, and we firmly believe that campaigns need to be tailored for the local markets. A familiar face that endorses a trusted brand like Videocon d2h is impetus for the regions. We are confident that with our active services we will be in a position to create, not only a differential in the market, but achieve better penetration, through the exclusivity of content and relevant local flavor. This will help us achieve better ARPUs while adding subscribers.”
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.
