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9X stops broadcasting in UK, content moves to hybrid channel
MUMBAI: INX Network has completed the transition of converting its music channel 9XM in the UK market into a hybrid channel with a mix of Hindi general entertainment content from its sibling channel 9X. Thus, 9X has stopped broadcasting on both Sky Digital (EPG 828) and Freesat (EPG 662) from 10 August. Indiantelevision.com had earlier reported that to cut down its operational cost, INX Media is creating a single channel for the UK market with a mix of content from 9X and 9XM. The hybrid channel will have a slew of new shows and Bollywood music on 9XM’s band i.e. EPG 829 on Sky Digital and EPG 513 on Freesat.
“As per our decision to create a hybrid channel, we had given three-month notice to the pay-TV operators. From 10 August, we have stopped beaming 9X,” INX Media group director – distribution Arun Mohan tells Indiantelevision.com.
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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.
