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Trai meets broadcasters on CAS, firm on channel MRPs
NEW DELHI: Broadcast regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) Thursday held discussions with industry stakeholders, but was firm that a la carte pricing of channels is inevitability.
Still, the regulator seemed sympathetic to a revenue share formula in favour of MSOs and broadcasters over and above a certain price.
Thursday’s meeting that Trai held with some broadcasters was more of a formality as the regulator made it clear to broadcasters present that maximum retail price (MRP) of TV channels under CAS regime is coming whether some like it or not.
According to information available with Indiantelevision.com, most participants were against a la carte pricing of channels and pitched for wholesale prices, which would give the cable operators a chance to fix some margins for themselves.
However, Trai was categorical that as per a government mandate MRP of a TV channel under a CAS regime has to be decided and would be finalised by 31 August 2006; industry feedback notwithstanding.
Those who attended Thursday’s meeting included representatives from Star India, Sony Discovery One Alliance, Global Broadcast Network, Zee Network and Indian Broadcasting Foundation.
Trai has been mandated by the government to fix the norms, including pricing of individual channels, under a CAS regime, which is slated to be rolled out in the south zones of Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai from 1 January 2007.
The government on 31 July issued a notification setting 31 December, 2006 as the deadline for the three metros of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata to be fully “CAS delivered” as a Delhi court had desired.
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Government issues CAS notification; CAS in 3 metros by 31 December
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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.
