Applications
MSM launches multi-platform VoD service Sony Liv
MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media (MSM) has taken the plunge into the digital space with the launch of its multi-platform Video-on-Demand service, Sony Liv.
Targeting the youth, Sony Liv will serve as the online destination for content from the Sony stable – Sony, Sab and Max. The Sony Liv application is available globally for free online on Sonyliv.com, for download on major app stores – iTunes and Google Play (Android).
Apart from enabling viewers to view current shows, Sony Liv will also gives them a chance to go back in time and watch past episodes of shows from Sony’s programming archives on Liv Classics. Liv will also showcase a large archive going back 17 years of movies and special events like Stardust and Filmfare Awards.
MSM CEO Man Jit Sigh said, “Liv is aimed at providing entertainment on the go for young India on the move. With the launch of this user friendly and highly interactive application, Liv is slated to change the way this nation consumes entertainment. It is a great platform for brands to enhance their Engagement & Interactivity with today’s young consumers.”
MSM‘s VoD service has three main features – Mood Wheel, My Q and Liv Guru.
With Mood wheel, viewers can search for videos based on mood/genre and time preferences. The My Q feature enables the registered users to create their own playlists of their favourite videos, and enables them to watch it across devices, with a single log on experience.
The Liv Guru feature is Sony’s Loyalty Program for loyal fans and rewards engagement. This feature builds on a loyalty points system on audience interactions on Liv. These points will eventually enable the viewers to win goodies, gift hampers and show set-visits.
“Innovation is the bedrock of business at Sony and our latest offering, Sony Liv reiterates our commitment to engage and interact with our audience in a whole new way. Through Liv, we want to strengthen our viewership in the digital space and provide the best entertainment preferences to our audience,” said MSM COO NP Singh.
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.
