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Cable ops in US need not carry local TV stations in analog: FCC
MUMBAI: The Federal Communications Commission has allowed to let lapse the ‘viewability rule‘ that requires cable operators to carry a local television station on both its digital and analog platforms.
With the sunsetting of this rule, viewers with analogue TV sets will require a set-top box to continue receiving local feeds as operators will no longer have to carry stations on analog platform.
The move would impact 12 million cable subscribers across the country who would lose access to some of their local TV stations.
Justifying its decision, the FCC said many cable operators are providing equipments at little or no cost to subscribers which would allow them to switch over to digital cable without much financial burden.
However, the FCC‘s “viewability requirement‘ is likely to have an adverse impact on smaller stations many of whom cater to small ethnic and religious groups, according to National Association of Broadcasters, the trade association of broadcasters in US.
The FCC had in 2007 set the expiration of transition to high-definition for cable operators at December 2012.
The cable industry has welcomed the move saying operators will take steps to ensure a smooth migration.
“With the majority of all households now enjoying digital services, the cable industry will maximise its bandwidth to provide innovative services that connect consumers to things they care about most. ,” said Michael Powell, CEO of the National Cable and Telecommunications Association. “And while some customers have yet to make the transition to digital, cable providers will continue to work hard to make that conversion as smooth as possible.”
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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.
