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ESPN, Hathway at loggerheads
MUMBAI: ESPN Software India has blacked out signals to Hathway Cable & Datacom in parts of Mumbai and Bangalore, claiming that the multi-system operator has dues to the tune of Rs 165 million.
ESPN has issued notice to switch off signals to Hathway across India as the MSO has still not signed the contract with them.
ESPN AVP – affiliate sales Makarand Palekar said, “We have been left with no alternative but to resort to this as Hathway owes us more than Rs 165 million and have been showing no signs of making this payment inspite of repeated requests. We have suggested alternate operators in most locations from whom they can obtain our signals. We hope that the impasse is resolved soon so that we can keep serving the Indian sports fan to the best of our ability.”
When contacted, a senior official from Hathway said on condition of anonymity that this was not the first time that ESPN has switched off signals from the MSO. “The problem in this case is ESPN is asking to hike the rates by 40-50 per cent while we have lost subscribers to other operators and are asking for a reduction,” he added.
ESPN has also filed a petition in the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat), which will be heard on 27 November. The sector tribunal, in its order dated 3 November, directed that the parties may negotiate and reconcile their respective accounts before Friday.
“The talks are on for negotiations and we can resolve it amicably. At present they have switched off signals in Mulund, Bhandup, Dombivali and Thane areas of Mumbai,” the Hathway official informed.
Cable operators in many parts of the country are opposing ESPN‘s drive to ramp up subscribers with a payout that would amount to an increase of over 50 per cent. The sports broadcasting company has two prime properties next year – the football World Cup and T20 World Cup.
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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.
