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ABC to launch Grey’s Anatomy on web
MUMBAI: In a move aimed at expanding its network and channel brands across multiple platforms and connecting viewers with their favourite shows anytime and anywhere, US media conglomerate Disney/ABC Television Group has announced the launch of a new Grey‘s Anatomy webisode series, entitled Seattle Grace: On Call.
Sponsored by Bertolli, the new online series consists of six individual webisodes, each four to five minutes in length, as well as a special behind-the-scenes episode which chronicles the making of Seattle Grace: On Call.
Says Grey‘s Anatomy creator and executive producer Shonda Rhimes, “Our goal with the web series is to expand Grey‘s universe by offering a unique perspective of the various happenings at Seattle Grace while paralleling some of the same storylines seen on the show.
“The intent is to put everything fans love about Grey‘s into these short, four-minute mini-episodes that have been designed solely for the internet. We hope our fans will enjoy a new take on the familiar Grey‘s world which will appear exclusively on our website during the time our actual episodes repeat from November to January,” he adds.
Set primarily in Joe‘s Emerald City Bar, the popular hangout spot for doctors and interns alike, Seattle Grace: On Call follows the trials and tribulations of many of the familiar faces featured in Grey‘s Anatomy.
Shot in a documentary-style, the webisode series stars Steven Bailey as Joe the Bartender, Mark Saul as intern Steve, Molly Kidder as Intern Megan, Joseph Williamson as intern Pierce, Gloria Garayua as intern Graciella, Brandon Scott as intern Ryan, Nora Zehtener as Reed Adamson, and Robert Baker as Charles Denman.
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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.
