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NBC Universal to use Isilon for archiving digital content
MUMBAI: Isilon Systems which works in the area of clustered storage has announced that US media conglomerate NBC Universal will use Isilon IQ to archive and access growing stores of media programming including entertainment TV and production, movies, news, and sports. |
Under the multi-year agreement with Isilon, NBC Universal plans to deploy multiple Petabytes of Isilon IQ clustered storage in its main production and broadcast operations to maximize the value of their media assets across NBC Universal‘s media properties. Isilon also announced that NBC is deploying Isilon IQ to facilitate its coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. |
NBC Universal director, storage solutions, global operations David Evans says, “With the rapid move to digital media and broadband connections, the broadcast industry has forever changed. This shift in the broadcast paradigm — multiple distribution channels, formats, and consumption models — has resulted in massive increases in the amount and importance of archived media. ” It is not enough to simply store this content; it must also be always on-line and instantly accessible. Isilon IQ is uniquely architected to address the business needs of NBC Universal, enabling us to transform our digital media assets into new breakthroughs in the creation, management and delivery of high-quality programming.” Isilon says that it is being deployed to complement and, in some cases, replace traditional tape based technology which allows for faster access times and increased reliability. With major deployments of Isilon IQ, NBC Universal‘s multiple broadcast and production units now have instant access to the vast libraries of media programming regardless of physical location, enabling NBC Universal to enhance live broadcasts or create new breakthroughs in the delivery of programming through NBC Universal‘s multiple media distribution networks. Next year in Beijing, NBC is primed to deliver the first-ever television broadcast of the Olympic Games availablen completely in High Definition. Following NBC‘s successful use of Isilon IQ for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, NBC is storing the majority of the 2008 Beijing Games proxy and broadband content on Isilon clustered storage, providing NBC producers with access to critical content for rapid review, identification and selection operations necessary to quickly produce and deliver coverage of Beijing Olympics in the US. |
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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.
