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Mediacorp to launch HDTV in Singapore by year-end
MUMBAI: Singaporean bropadcaster MediaCorp plans to launch its HDTV commercial channel in the last quarter of 2007 and be the first broadcaster in Southeast Asia to roll out an HDTV channel on terrestrial platform. Since June 2006, MediaCorp had conducted an HDTV trial where 1000 households, community clubs and retail outlets got to experience HD programmes such as CSI, Smallville as well as MediaCorp’s locally-produced productions and co-productions with China. From the trials, about 50 per cent of homes are able to receive the HD signal. MediaCorp Deputy CEO Television Chang Long Jong says, “Our decision to launch an HD channel this year is based on the very favourable feedback received from our trial users. We hope to offer our viewers the ultimate tv viewing experience harnessing the latest technologies in visual and sound.” Between now and the launch date which will be announced later, viewers who can receive the signal and have the requisite HD equipment will experience better clarity of programmes on the new HD channel – HD 5. HD5 is a simulcast of Channel 5 with programmes enhanced for display on HD-Ready TV sets.
In addition, viewers can look forward to some true HD content such as Hollywood movies and TV series like CSI as well as local programmes like Lifeline produced in HD. MediaCorp plans to broadcast all its channels in High Definition by 2012.
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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.
