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IndiaCast-Disney distribution JV gets CCI nod
MUMBAI: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has green lighted the channel distribution joint venture between IndiaCast Group and The Walt Disney Company India as it feels that the combined might will not adversely harm competition in the marketplace.
The decision is not surprising as the cobbling together of TV18 Group and Disney channels for distribution across analogue and digital platforms is not the biggest consolidation the industry has seen. Media Pro Enterprise India, the joint venture between Zee Turner and Star Den, is by far the largest in size with a bouqet of 78 television channels housed under one roof.
“We did not expect the IndiaCast-Disney deal to get roadblocked by CCI. The Zee-Star merger is far bigger and combines the two leading media houses in India,”a media analyst said.
In its order, CCI said the transaction is “not likely to have an appreciable adverse effect on competition in India”.
The CCI has cited a reason for this. “After the combination, IndiaCast would discontinue its aggregation tie-up with Sun Distribution Services and accordingly the market share of channels which would be aggregated by IC would be less than that of IndiaCast,” the order said.
UTV Global Broadcasting, a Walt Disney subsidiary that broadcasts nine TV channels in India, had filed a notice seeking approval for the 26 per cent stake buy in IC Media with CCI on 24 January.
The deal would see UTV Global Broadcasting, part of The Walt Disney Company India, acquiring a 26 per cent stake in IC Media Distribution Services, a part of Network18 Group, which is a distribution JV between Network18 and TV18.
The yet-to-be-named JV will distribute 35 channels from the TV18, Viacom18, Disney UTV and A+E Networks, making it the second largest distribution company in terms of bouquet of channels after Media Pro Enterprise India.
IC Media is a wholly-owned subsidiary of IndiaCast Media Distribution, which is into the business of aggregation of television channels broadcast by TV18 Broadcast, Viacom18 Media and certain other broadcasters.
“It has been stated in the notice that the Disney Group and the IndiaCast Group shall grant exclusive licence to IC to distribute their television channels,” the CCI order said.
“It has also been stated in the notice that post-combination, UTV Global Broadcasting and IndiaCast would cease their aggregation business in India as they now propose to carry out the business of providing the service of aggregation in India through IC (Media) by way of the proposed combination,” the order added.
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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.
