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Casbaa Upfronts unite networks
NEW DELHI: Eight multichannel TV networks from across Asia Pacific have presented a unified message from the region‘s leading broadcasters, previewing the Casbaa channels‘ highlights for 2012 to more than 20 selected decision-making media buyers, agency heads and clients.
The networks were participating in the inaugural Asia Pacific TV Upfronts earlier this month in Singapore, presented by Casbaa.
“Where individual broadcasters have previously presented as single entities before, Casbaa is delighted to provide the Asia Pacific multichannel TV industry with a platform to demonstrate a consolidated view on the power of advertising on pay TV,” said Casbaa chairman Marcel Fenez. “We look forward to more joint Upfronts and are already planning for the next one in Hong Kong during Q1 of 2012.”
Broadcasters A+E Networks, Bloomberg Television, Discovery Networks Asia, Fox International Channels, NBCUniversal, MTV Asia, Sony Pictures Television Entertainment and Turner International all participated in the special screenings.
Additionally, guest speaker and BBDO/Proximity chairman of the Asia Planning Council Andy Wilson shared his insights into people‘s engagement with their mobile devices, TV‘s and PC‘s. “TV‘s primary role is to entertain and offer an emotional connection with audiences,” he said.
Chevron International Caltex Global Brand Manager Brian Fisher also spoke on his brand‘s experiences with pay-TV and other content. “Brands need better ways to have more interesting integrated conversations through compelling and local content. Sell us the whole package and not the spots,” he concluded.
“The reach and return on investment of pay-TV can no longer be denied,” added Fenez. “With multichannel TV now in more than 50 per cent of TV homes across Asia, compelling content offered by leading broadcasters and affluent, targeted demographics, it just makes good business sense to invest in multichannel TV in the region.”
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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.
