Applications
Vh1 launches music streaming app with Hungama
MUMBAI: Vh1 has set foot on the digital space to launch a new generation app, Vh1 Pulse, which will help their fans to be in sync with their favourite tracks anytime of the day.
Powered by Hungama.com, Vh1 Pulse is a music streaming application on Facebook which will enable over 1.7 million fans of the channel to listen to Vh1‘s picks of the best international music. The application that went live this week is the largest Facebook community amongst international music in India.
On the application, all songs will be picked by Vh1 and fans can listen to the playlist specially created which includes the best of all English music. ‘Pulse‘ will be the one stop shop for different genres of music and artists.
Fans can not only listen to Vh1‘s playlist but can also create a playlist of their own. They can pick and listen to tracks that their friends and other music lovers are listening to.
Viacom18 Media SVP and GM – English Entertainment Ferzad Palia says, “With a fan base of nearly 2 million ardent music lovers, this cutting addition to the Vh1 India Facebook page is part of our philosophy of ‘Vh1 Everywhere‘. Vh1 Pulse powered by Hungama, is a destination where our fans can hang out, listen to their favourite tracks, discover new artistes, chart toppers, create playlists and above all, share with their friends. We‘re sure our fans will get hooked on and love the experience.”
Hungama Digital Media Entertainment COO – Consumer Business and Allied Services Siddhartha Roy added, “Social communities are the new media real estate for brands where they can increase interaction and engagement with their consumers. Vh1 and Hungama bring Vh1 Pulse – a one stop destination for great International Music spread across various genres. There is an increasing demand for International Music and Hungama is committed at satiating this need by powering this service via its platform and content.”
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.
