Applications
NDTV gets notice in MSM row over distribution
NEW DELHI: A division bench of the Delhi High Court has issued notice to NDTV for terminating channel distribution contract with MSM Discovery and switching over to Star Den.
Earlier, a single-judge bench of the Court Justice S Muralidhar had upheld the decision of the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat) on 22 December which had given a judgment in favour of NDTV.
The bench, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, also issued notice to Star Den, a joint venture between Star and Den Media, directing them to file replies.
The court listed the matter for next hearing on 18 March.
The single judge bench had said it did not find any ground for interference with the order of Tdsat, which had rejected the plea of MSM Discovery to restrain NDTV from terminating distribution and marketing agreement between the two, and entering into a fresh contract with rival firm Star Den.
The agreement related to distribution of its channels NDTV 24×7 (English news channel), NDTV Profit (business news channel), NDTV India (Hindi news channel) and NDTV Good Times (lifestyle channel).
MSM Discovery had submitted that NDTV had “unlawfully” terminated the channel distribution agreement and collaborated with rival distributor Star Den.
Tdsat had said if NDTV terminated the contract wrongly, then MSM could claim damages for the breach of contract.
NDTV had terminated the channel distribution agreement with MSM on 13 December after issuing a public notice and it entered into a fresh alliance with Star Den.
MSM Discovery is a joint venture between Multi Screen Media and Discovery Communications.
MSM Discovery and NDTV had entered into a distribution agreement in 2003. The contract was renewed in 2005 and 2009 for a fixed term fee and it was to expire on 31 March 2012.
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.
