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Discovery to join Comcast’s On Demand Online Trial in US
MUMBAI: US broadcaster Discovery and Comcast have announced that Discovery Channel has joined Comcast’s technical trial of On Demand Online.
Discovery’s content will be made available to trial participants online for the first time this week. On Demand Online, which launched as a technical trial last month, is a new service that significantly expands the number of top-rated TV choices available online at no additional charge to Comcast’s cable customers.
The new content for the On Demand Online trial will include full length episodes of some of Discovery programmes. Beginning this week, customers will be able to view the fourth season of Man Vs. Wild and the world premiere series Swords the day after they air on television along with past episodes of Storm Chasers. Verminators episodes will be available a week after its television airing.
Discovery president, domestic distribution and enterprises Bill Goodwyn says, “Building on our long-standing relationship with Comcast, we are pleased to participate in the On Demand Online trial to create an online viewing solution that appeals to growing consumer demand for convenient access to their favourite programmes while continuing to drive value for distributors, programmers and advertisers alike.”
Discovery is the 24th network to join On Demand Online, which already includes content from channels such as HBO, CBS, TNT, TBS, Starz, Cinemax, A&E, AMC, BBC America, DIY Network, Fine Living Network, Food Network, Hallmark Channel, HGTV, History, IFC, MGM Impact, Sundance, WE tv, E!, The Style Network, G4 and Fearnet.
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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.
