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HBO Asia goes HD from tomorrow
MUMBAI: From tomorrow 1 October English movie channel HBO will air in high-definition (HD) in Singapore and the Philippines, and in Hong Kong on nowTV from 6 October. |
The channel will launch on StarHub TV. Viewers in Singapore will have the opportunity to enjoy a dedicated movie channel in HD. HBO will be available in high-definition to StarHub’s HBO Pak subscribers in Singapore via StarHub TV Channel 602. The launch of HBO in HD will mark HBO as the first regional movie channel to broadcast in HD in Asia. Currently, all StarHub TV subscribers of the HBO Pak under the Movies add-on tier will get to enjoy HBO’s commercial-free line up of Hollywood blockbusters and HBO original programmes and series in HD with no additional cost. To access HBO in HD, viewers will also need to have StarHub’s HubStation HD or HD set-top box. HBO Asia CEO Jonathan Spink says, “At the forefront of technology, HBO is proud to be the first regional movie channel to broadcast in high definition in Asia. With HBO in high definition, StarHub TV subscribers can now enjoy a complete cinematic experience – watching the latest and biggest Hollywood blockbusters and award-winning HBO original programmes with better clarity, sharper pictures in wide-screen format and superior sound enhancement from the comfort of their own home.” StarHub is increasingly expanding its offerings of full quality HD channels. With the addition of HBO in HD, StarHub will offer a total of seven HD channels. The others are HD5, National Geographic Channel HD, Discovery HD, History HD, Sports HD and All Sports Network. StarHub VP home solutions Ong Bee Lian says, “As the leading pay TV operator in Singapore, StarHub strives not only to deliver entertaining content to our viewers, but also quality and enhanced TV viewing experience. Now with HBO in high definition, StarHub TV’s HBO PAK subscribers can enjoy a true cinematic experience in their home environment. HBO has been a longtime close partner and we are glad to take this collaboration one step further to give even more benefits to viewers in Singapore”. |
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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.
