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BT in deal with NBC Universal for 3D films
MUMBAI: TBT has entered into an agreement with NBC Universal International Television Distribution for the video-on-demand rights in the UK to all the 3D movie titles the studio will release over the next 12 months.
BT has also signed an agreement with Vertigo to show StreetDance, the first British movie to be shot in 3D, featuring Diversity, winners of Britain’s Got Talent 2009, and Flawless BGT finalist and Street Dance Champions.
Under the terms of the NBC Universal deal, two titles already queued up for BT customers are Step Up 3D, set in New York, which customers can see from 29 November, and the animated Despicable Me, featuring the voices of Steve Carell and Russell Brand, which will be available on BT Vision from 14 March next year.
BT Vision will bring viewers 3D films from across range of genres – from family favourites to action blockbusters. All they need is a 3D TV.
BT Vision CEO Marc Watson said, “We already have an extensive catalogue of more than 500 movies in the UK courtesy of our long-term deals with major Hollywood studios and independents like Vertigo. Now Vision viewers can experience films at home in fantastic 3D, thanks to these new deals. This is just the start of 3D on Vision – viewers can expect to hear much more from us in the coming months.”
BT Vision offers Film Club, a movies subscription pack, with more than 75 favourites every month. Titles include recent hits from PictureBox, Warner Films and Film4, with 20 titles swapping each week – many before they appear on Freeview. For even more movies, customers can watch new blockbusters and Oscar winners on video-on-demand. The top ten Blockbusters are available in HD every month.
BT Vision combines Freeview channels via the aerial with on demand content delivered via BT Broadband. Customers can pay-per-view or subscribe to thousands of hours of sport, film, documentaries, drama and kids entertainment, available on demand and all the Freeview channels, all available on TV.
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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.
