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HBO, Eros debut ad-free movie channels on Dish TV and Airtel digital TV
MUMBAI: HBO Defined and HBO Hits, the two premium ad-free movie channels, have launched on Dish TV and Airtel Digital TV.
These carriage deals come shortly after the signing of a strategic tie-up between HBO Asia and Eros International media to launch two new premium advertising-free movie channels in India.
The channels are currently on air and will be available for a free preview in the initial phase of the launch.
HBO Defined and HBO Hits will showcase the best of Hollywood and Bollywood content through HD and SD feeds on Dish TV (channels 24 and 25 on HD and 414 and 415 on SD boxes respectively) and SD feed on Airtel Digital TV (channels 199 and 200 respectively).
Dish SD feed will go on air 28 February onwards.
The two channels will be offered at a special introductory price of Rs 49 and Rs 69 for SD and HD services respectively.
HBO Asia CEO Jonathan Spink says that the promotional offer is only for three months. The normal price for SD channels is Rs 99 while the HD channel pack is priced at Rs 129.
Asked about expansion plans into digital cable given that the second phase of digitisation is happening.
“Our distributor Turner India is talking to various Digital cable and DTH operators. The goal is to ultimately reach all addressable digital systems,” said Spink.
A high impact multi-media marketing campaign will be launched to promote the two new channels across platforms. The campaign will commence mid March.
Eros International Media Executive Director Jyoti Deshpande said, “We are excited about the quick response from the DTH operators to offer our premium channels to their customer base and are thankful to Dish and Airtel for partnering with us. We are confident that our compelling and unique content offering of Bollywood and Hollywood plus an advertising-free viewing experience will make this an instant hit with subscribers.”
Catering to all movie lovers and each having a distinct identity, HBO Defined is the home of latest Hollywood and Bollywood blockbusters and award-winning HBO Originals, while HBO Hits is a channel that indulges viewers with genre driven anchors and iconic HBO Original series.
Over the next few months viewers can expect an overwhelming line-up of “first time in India” Hollywood blockbuster premieres such as Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Bollywood premi?res of titles such as Chakravyuh, Award winning titles such as The Iron Lady and exclusive and award-winning HBO Original programmes such as Veep, Game of Thrones, True Blood and Boardwalk Empire as they premiere close to U.S. airdates.
In addition, dual language options of either English or Hindi are available for selected Hollywood blockbusters. Some of the upcoming titles in dual language are Captain America: The First Avenger, Thor, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Kung Fu Panda 2 and Journey 2 Mysterious Island.
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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.
