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Digitisation of 17 major DD kendras complete
NEW DELHI: All the 17 major Doordarshan Kendras were fully digitized during the 10th Plan period, information and broadcasting minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi told the Lok Sabha today. In reply to a question, the minister said 48 major All India Radio (AIR) stations are proposed to be provided with hard disc based system along with server and storage systems as part of the modernization plan. Of these, 14 are in North Zone, 13 in West Zone, 10 in South Zone, six in North East and five in East Zone. |
There is also a proposal to modernize and open new small studios. Thirty small studios have been partially digitalized during the 10th Plan period and a new small studio is under implementation at Tirupati as part of the continuing schemes. |
Low end hard disc systems are to be provided at 61 AIR stations. Of these, 16 are in North Zone, nine each in North East and East Zones, 15 in West Zone and 12 in South Zone. |
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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.
