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BBC to expand digital radio coverage in the UK
MUMBAI: More than a million additional listeners will soon be able to receive BBC national digital radio services in the UK following further expansion of the digital radio transmission network.
The BBC is investing in a further 60 digital radio transmitters as part of its commitment to reach 90 per cent of the British population during the Charter period, by the end of 2011. This is the final part of a planned roll-out which started in 2008 and has already resulted in more than 50 additional transmitters being added to the network. The BBC‘s national digital radio coverage currently stands at around 86 per cent of the UK population. There are now more than 10 million DAB sets in the UK (GFK).
Listeners in the areas will be able to tune in to the BBC‘s portfolio of digital-only stations through its Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) as well as the BBC‘s existing national radio stations.
Transmitters will be added to bring coverage to areas without reception and to improve and reinforce reception where necessary. The plan includes 15 new transmitters for Scotland, 10 new transmitters for Wales, seven new transmitters for Northern Ireland, three new transmitters for Greater London and the Home Counties, and nine new transmitters for the south west.
BBC‘s Director of Audio and Music Tim Davie says, “The BBC is fully committed to digital radio. I‘m delighted that we are now in a position to deliver on the BBC Trust‘s target to bring digital radio to 90% of the UK.”
The BBC has five digital-only radio networks, all launched in 2002: 1Xtra offering black music, 5 Live Sports Extra which covers live sport, 6 Music offers contemporary and classic rock and pop, Radio 7 offers the best of BBC comedy, drama and books from the archive, and Asian Network which offers news and music from the British Asian scene.
Listeners can also receive Radios 1 to 5 Live on DAB, along with more than 30 of the BBC‘s English local radio and nations services.
Digital radio can transmit text and data with the audio signal. A small screen on digital radios carries rolling text telling listeners what music they are listening to, who is being interviewed, and giving phone numbers and e-mail and website addresses.
Digital radios are available from over 8,000 retail outlets across the UK and can also be bought on the internet.
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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.
