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Big TV launches new packages for South India
MUMBAI: Big TV, the direct-to-home (DTH) arm of Reliance Communications, has launched new packages during the festive season for the South market. The pay-TV company has introduced a 12-month package for Rs 2590. New regional channels introduced in south regional packs include UsheTV (Kannada), AdityaTV (Tamil) and GCV (Telugu). The package offers “maximum value” in all base packs to appeal to a wide spectrum of viewers in South, says the company. |
The Rs 2590 South offer comes with a total of 120 channels including 15 Sun channels and more south regional language channels. Also, Big TV has priced ‘Sun Bronze pack’ at Rs 127 for Southern customers. “Our latest offer gives more choices for Southern customers by adding new channels across regional platforms; we’ve simplified the packages besides maintaining flexibility for top up purchases. This is part of Big TV’s abiding commitment to deliver great value at affordable prices to its customers during festive season,” said Big TV senior VP Umesh Rao. |
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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.
