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Disney-ABC Intl. Television hosts Annual Digital Media Showcase in APac
MUMBAI: Disney-ABC International Television (Asia Pacific) hosted the Second Annual Digital Media Showcase in Asia Pacific with participation from the Walt Disney Internet Group, Disney Channel, ESPN Star Sports, and its U.S. television network ABC. |
A cross-section of broadcasters, mobile operators, content aggregators, ISPs, and triple-play providers from around the region attended the event. Executives from across The Walt Disney Company showcased how the Company views and is leading the way in the digital media space and how it‘s addressing the challenges and opportunities created by new technology and the consumers who use it. This showcase is in line with the Company‘s commitment and focus on the application of technology to enhance its content and expand its distribution, states an official release. |
Senior U.S. executives from the Disney-ABC Television Group shared perspectives and insights into the landmark initiatives that have revolutionized the way consumers view content, including the ABC.com broadband media player, with a live demo shown to guests for the first time internationally and the unprecedented multi-year agreement with Sprint for news, kids, and entertainment programming on mobile. Also announced by Disney-ABC International Television (Asia Pacific) was the first internet movie VOD deal in Australia with Telstra BigPond. Over the past year and a half, Disney-ABC International Television (Asia Pacific) has concluded a number of digital media deals worldwide. |
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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.
