Applications
Cloud based television services company Magine gets $19mn funding
BENGALURU: Magine, a Swedish cloud-based television operator, announced today that it has obtained an additional round of funding to the extent of $19mn that will enable it to expand the supply of its recently launched service of television content online (OTT).
Michael Werner, Matthias Hjelmstedt, Erik Wikstrom, Xavier Ritort and Hakan Tranvik, founders of Magine, obtained the funds through an agreement with a group of Swedish and international investors.
The funding will help Magine to accelerate significantly the time for the implementation of the platform at the international level. Within a few a few months the service will expand from Sweden and will be launched soon in its key television markets of Germany and Spain. It will be available for users across at least five other markets before the end of the year says Magine.
Magine president Michael Werner says “Magine is not just another television platform, but a whole new way to access and enjoy content. It is a service that requires a subscription and has been designed to make people return to following television programs. Because of this, broadcasters and content providers are very likely to use it. Magine helps them to create new forms of monetization while respecting the system of existing copyrights. Our investors realized immediately the extraordinary potential for discovery of content and social interactions available to users, and the service’s ability to generate new revenue streams.”
In Sweden, Magine hosts some of the most famous brands and channels in the world. These includr Discovery, CNN International, BBC, Eurosport, National Geographic, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, in addition to the national broadcasters SVT and TV4. The company has also initiated talks with numerous media and international groups engaged in the entertainment industry, and expect further announcements in this regard later this month.
Last April, Magine was presented to the international television and community members for content production during MIPTV (International market of television), one of the major international events in Europe dedicated to the entertainment industry. The presentation of the service has been hailed as the highlight of the event by commentators, journalists and leading figures in the industry.
Magine is the new television. It is not a new device to follow television programs, but a service that offers absolute freedom to follow live TV, pause or resume viewing at a later time for all channels and all devices at any time, in compliance with the existing copyright. It offers high speed, excellent quality and images protected by DRM (Digital Rights Management, Digital Rights Management) through any type of Internet connection available. It is currently available on Apple devices and the Samsung smart TVs. Soon it will be possible to use the service on other television platforms and tablets with Android operating system.
Also read:
Mipcom unveils keynote line-up reflecting the new golden age of television
MipTV: growing stronger in 50th year; India registers increased presence
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.
