Applications
Asiasat 7 launch in Q4
MUMBAI: Asiasat has said that the launch of Asiasat 7 is on schedule for the fourth quarter launch. This new addition to the fleet has been planned to eventually replace Asiasat 3S.
The company has also said that the Asiasat Tai Po Earth Station expansion project is to be completed in early 2012.
Meanwhile, the Asian satellite operator has posted a 16 per cent jump in turnover to HK$801.86 million for the first six months ended June 2011.
Profit attributable to shareholders was up 20 per cent to HK$367.38 million.
Asiasat chairman Sherwood P. Dodge said, “In general buoyant Asian economies and our strong performance as the market leader during the first half of 2011 have positioned us well for the opportunities we expect to see in the second half of 2011. These positive market trends, along with our strong financial fundamentals, position us to continue to grow the company’s business, and we remain alert to opportunities to improve our competitive position through partnerships and acquisitions.”
Operating expenses in the first half of 2011, excluding depreciation, totaled HK$175 million, representing an increase of five per cent compared with the first half of 2010. This was mainly the result of incremental staff costs arising from headcount growth and was partially mitigated by savings in satellite insurance and savings in mainland China business tax.
Profit attributable to equity holders for the first half of 2011 was HK$367 million, an increase of 20 per cent, achieved mainly as a result of strong revenue growth, greater interest income and careful management of costs during the period.
For the six months to 30 June, the group generated a net cash inflow of HK$97 million, after capital expenditure of HK$267 million and dividends of HK$176 million.
The group’s total number of transponders leased or sold as of 30 June 2011 was 105 (31 December 2010, it was 97). This figure includes the six Hong Kong Broadcast Satellite Service (BSS) transponders that serve the direct-to-home (DTH) joint venture.
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.
