Applications
MGM chairman predicts $1 trillion investment worldwide on new media platforms
MUMBAI: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) chairman and CEO Harry Sloan, in delivering a keynote address to Half of that figure, US $500 billion, will be invested in platform development in the US, with the other half divided between key global markets. |
The advent of digital terrestrial, cable and satellite channels, as well as evolving broadband, wireless and telecom platforms is fuelling a growing global demand for content which, says Sloan, provides consumers with indefinable choice in what, when and how they will consume media content. In addition to driving demand for more content, the proliferation of new media exhibition platforms also increases the need for more exposure for new product while simultaneously requiring a stronger degree of influential marketing expertise, states an official release. According to Sloan, Hollywood‘s MGM Studio is uniquely poised to meet both the growing demand for new product and support that product with its marketing expertise and its brand‘s longstanding relationship with both retailers and consumers. |
Focusing on “regenerating and refreshing the MGM Library,” the largest modern film and TV library in the world, will reduce the risk of development, which Sloan claims accounts for between $150 and $200 million in write-offs for each major Hollywood studio every year. With stellar franchises like James Bond, the Pink Panther and Rocky, as well as the Terminator, the Hobbit and Thomas Crown in its arsenal of tentpole franchises, MGM‘s film development will focus on extending proven brands. An increase in film development and production investments from Wall Street and financiers is resulting in a huge influx in “Distribution, booking the 3,000 theatres and allocating $25 million in marketing, is what major studios do best,” said Sloan. “We know how to get the attention of consumers and how to influence their entertainment decisions.” Two critical elements in the new digital media world where consumers are inundated with entertainment choices, according to Sloan. By partnering with independent producers, MGM can provide the studio‘s marketing expertise and global distribution clout needed to generate both consumer interest and theatre bookings, resulting in stronger box-office and sustained consumer interest when the films are made available on-demand, on DVD or through broadband distribution. MGM is also forging partnerships with other media entities, reducing overhead and gleaning greater operating efficiencies. Recently announced arrangements include an agreement with Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment that provides a This unique structure provides for a concentrated sales and licensing effort focused on the MGM home entertainment brand, encompassing MGM‘s increasing slate of new theatrical releases and direct-to-video projects as well as the more than 4,000 films and 10,000 episodes of television programming in its vast library. Fox also handles international distribution of MGM‘s theatrical releases. MGM also announced a partnership with Apple‘s iTunes that will see its signature television series Stargate SG-1, which just celebrated its 200th episode, available for download. Sloan said that while MGM‘s previous management “missed every technology change of the past 35 years” that impacted the entertainment industry; he foresees even greater change and opportunities coming to fruition over the next five years than the past 35 combined. In concluding his address Sloan stated: “MGM will never miss another opportunity.” |
Applications
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.
