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CME to sell Ukraine operations to Harvey Trading for $300 mn
MUMBAI: Central European Media Enterprises (CME) has decided to sell off its interest in the Studio 1+1 and Kino channels in the Ukraine to Igor Kolomoisky‘s Harley Trading Limited for $300 million.
With this, Harley Trading will take 100 per cent ownership of CME‘s operations in the Ukraine for $300 million in cash plus an estimated $19 million to fund cash expenses of the Studio 1+1 group between signing and closing of the transaction.
The purchaser will make a payment of $30 million to CME on 1 February and the balance of the purchase price will be paid at the closing that is expected to happen in the middle of April.
Said CME president and CEO Adrian Sarbu, “The sale of our Ukrainian operations is the best strategic option for CME in the current environment. It will allow us to concentrate on our existing operations in the European Union and EU accession countries. The sale will provide us with greater operational and strategic flexibility, increase our liquidity and sharpen our focus on developing our broadcasting, internet and content business.”
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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.
