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BBC to sub-let spectrum capacity on Freeview multiplex B
MUMBAI: In advance of the roll-out of Freeview HD starting in December 2009, UK pubcaster the BBC will clear Multiplex B of all current Standard Definition (SD) streams. |
This will result in the closure of one BBC Red Button interactive video stream and the BBC News Multiscreen stream. The News Multiscreen will still be available on Sky and Virgin Media and its video content can be seen via BBC Online. The BBC says that it remains committed to delivering the very best video content to Freeview viewers via its remaining interactive stream. While Multiplex B will be fully reserved for HD services in the parts of the UK that have been through digital switchover, the BBC will, through a competitive tender, offer to the market the two vacant streams available in other parts of the UK in the interim period to 2012. The two streams will be available in approximately 80 per cent of the UK from the end of 2009, and coverage will reduce to zero when switchover is complete in 2012. The BBC has launched its competitive bid process which will provide third parties the opportunity to launch new services for audiences in the UK. BBC COO Caroline Thomson says, “The BBC has identified an opportunity to release temporary spare spectrum capacity to any interested companies that wish to launch new services for audiences in the UK. “Not only does this mean that we are ensuring that spectrum is used as efficiently as possible but it will also deliver better value for money for licence fee payers.” Multiplex B was awarded to the BBC after the collapse of ITV Digital. It is one of two multiplexes held by the BBC. It is licensed to BBC Free-To-View a wholly-owned BBC company by Ofcom. Ofcom consulted on converting Multiplex B to HD on 21 November, 2007. |
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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.
