Applications
Movie-on-Demand revenues to reach $2.4 bn in US by 2013
MUMBAI: Video on Demand (VoD) delivered straight to the television is generating high levels of consumer interest, but little revenue with free content accounting for more than 95 per cent of the material being watched.
However, a new Pay-TV market report from Futuresource Consulting shows that consumers will pay extra for movies on demand delivered by their broadcaster or Pay TV operator. The report reveals that by 2013, transactional revenues from movies on demand alone will reach $2.4 billion in the US and 430 million Euros in the leading five Western European countries.
Futuresource business consultant Carl Hibbert says, “The rise of on-demand video content that can be accessed through a laptop, PC or mobile phone shows no signs of stopping and with so much competition out there, the consumer is in the driving seat, demanding entertainment be delivered on their terms, whenever, wherever and however they please. But the pay-TV industry is fighting back, and looking to VoD to supplement its linear TV offering.”
Operators are using VoD as a tool for driving up the average revenue per user. “Paid-for VoD is a small part of the market, but it is expanding, and that’s despite the glut of readily-available free and ‘catch up’ VoD. Growth opportunities are coming from the continued conversion of analogue to digital cable, the expansion of IPTV, and the introduction of hybrid services by satellite operators. As movie release windows shorten and VoD releases come on stream ‘day and date’ with DVD and Blu-ray we’re going to see more traction, but a number of studios are holding back, believing this may cannibalise their packaged media revenues,” says Hibbert.
Improved electronic programme guides (EPGs) are also helping to boost VoD buy rates, making search and purchase easier, and in some cases allowing for personalised front ends. The next stage is the introduction of lifestyle-oriented TV homepages, which will help to filter and focus the colossal amount of live and on demand content available, ensuring the consumer is able to pinpoint and purchase relevant content as soon as it becomes available.
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.
