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DTH ops add DD Sports in HD ahead of CWG
MUMBAI: Controversies notwithstanding, the Commonwealth Games (CWG) is going to crack open the door a little wider for high-definition (HD) telecast. Three DTH operators have announced their intent to add DD Sports in the HD format as part of their offerings.
Dish TV has already started the HD feed of DD Sports, while Big TV and Sun Direct have announced that they will be offering DD Sports HD ahead of CWG.
Meanwhile, Big TV has also announced addition of six new channels in its SD format offering, taking the total number of channels to over 260. The newly added channels are – regional news channels like Sakshi, Suvarna and DY 365; religious channel Aaseervatham TV and regional entertainment Ruposhi Bangla and Subhavaartha TV.
Big TV has also started a new introductory scheme wherein customers can now avail the Big TV set top box for Rs 1190 with two months Silver Pack for Non South and at Rs 1390 with four months Value Pack and sports channels for the Southern region.
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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.
