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Bet Networks unveils net video initiative in UK
MUMBAI: Bet Networks, an entertainment channel belonging to dedicated African Americans and online TV service Brightcove, have announced a partnership to distribute ad-supported Internet video channels in the UK. |
Through its partnership with Brightcove, Bet International will extend the distribution of its compelling content — including entertainment, music and celebrity programming — to online audiences in the UK via the new Internet video site, BETonBlast.co.uk. BET will also take advantage of Brightcove‘s viral promotion features to enable consumers to share and embed BET Internet video content on websites, blogs and social networks in the UK. All Internet video channels will also offer online advertising opportunities sold by Viacom Brand Solutions in the UK. Bet International senior VP, GM Michael D. Armstrong says, “We are excited to continue building the BET brand around the world, and with the launch of our beta broadband site in the UK, users can get an early taste of our forthcoming multiplatform offering that‘s set to debut later this year. “We are also looking forward to working with Brightcove, whose technology allows us to tap into the power of Internet video, while maintaining control over the quality of the viewing experience and the revenue potential of our video content.” |
| BETonBlast.co.uk, set to launch later this summer, will include content focused on the most popular Black music, lifestyle, news, fashion, entertainment and community issues of the day. Brightcove chairman and CEO Jeremy Allaire says, “Bet is one of the most popular cable networks in the United States with a programming line-up that has strong worldwide appeal. We are thrilled to be working with BET and chosen as the Internet video platform for their expansion into Europe.” Bet International is dedicated to building a global distribution footprint to deliver BET content to consumers of Black culture around the world. With the Bet on Blast site in the UK, Bet International is taking another step in its strategy to expand the Bet brand in the global marketplace. Bet International recently announced that it will launch its hit music countdown show 106 & Park in Japan, and will announce other expansion initiatives in Europe and Africa in the near future. |
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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.
