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Disney-ABC International, Channel 4 sign VoD agreement
MUMBAI:Disney-ABC International Television and Channel 4 Finland (Nelonen) have signed an IPTV VoD rental agreement to bring hit US network series on demand to viewers for up to four days after their US TV broadcast. The announcement was done by Disney-ABC International Television SVP sales Jim Brehm and Channel 4 Finland SVP Pirjo Airaksinen. According to an official statement, this is the first time the Walt Disney Company has introduced multiple network series to an international market so soon after broadcast in the US. With this agreement, Channel 4 Finland‘s IPTV service will launch an area of its site called Hot from the US which will allow fans to enjoy the latest seasons of hit US series Ugly Betty,Grey‘s Anatomy, Lost and Desperate Housewives from four days after the US broadcast. This is due to launch from the end of September, in line with the US fall season launch, and episodes will cost 3 euros each, states an official release. Brehm commented, “We are pleased to be able to bring much anticipated new seasons of our hit series to Finland just days after the US broadcast. This is an exciting opportunity for fans to legally access some of the most-anticipated shows on international TV, and demonstrates our commitment to work with digital media partners to bring our content to viewers in faster, flexible ways, when and where they want it.” Ugly Betty, the Emmy Award winning comedy, will be going into its second season and the Golden Globe winning series Grey‘s Anatomy, Lost and Desperate Housewives will all be entering their fourth season. The availability of episodes will follow the US broadcast hiatus pattern. Airaksinen said, “We are happy and excited to have this service up and running as the first time Disney has offered multiple series to an international market so soon after broadcast in the US. Channel Four Finland is enthusiastic to learn how Finnish consumers will accept the new service and at the same time we are eager to fight piracy.”
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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.
