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Intelsat Renews China Central Television Contract for Global Programming Distribution
MUMBAI: Intelsat today announced that China Central Television (CCTV), the national broadcaster of the People’s Republic of China, renewed a multi-year contract for the global distribution of its programming. CCTV is also utilizing Intelsat for its international backhaul transmission of the Asian Games from Doha, Qatar, back to Beijing, which start today and run through December 15. A long-standing customer since the launch of PAS-2 in 1994, CCTV became the world’s first global Mandarin Chinese television service when it expanded its services internationally via the PAS-3 satellite in 1995. Intelsat currently provides full-time program distribution services for CCTV via its PAS-1R Atlantic Ocean Region satellite, PAS-9 Atlantic Ocean Region satellite and PAS-10 Indian Ocean Region satellite. Intelsat also provides CCTV with capacity on its Galaxy 3C satellite for direct-to-home (DTH) services in the United States. This renewal contract also expands CCTV’s C- and Ku-band capacity agreement. |
“With the increased demand for regional programming distribution, CCTV is pleased to continue growing its relationship with Intelsat,” said He Zongjiu, Vice President of CCTV. “Intelsat has long partnered with us in the expansion of our services, and we are confident that its network will continue to support us as we develop programming platforms.” |
David Ball, Regional Vice President, Asia-Pacific Sales, said, “We are proud that CCTV has continued to entrust us with the global distribution of its programming, and the Asian Games. As Intelsat expands its global services, we are strategically situated to provide greater power and coverage for China’s preeminent national broadcaster. Likewise, Intelsat will be well positioned to offer broadcasters of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing a complete suite of global transmission services.” |
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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.
