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Electus partners Shine International for distribution
MUMBAI: Ben Silverman‘s newly formed multimedia company Electus, an operating business of IAC, and Shine International, the international distribution arm of Elisabeth Murdoch‘s Shine Group, have announced a partnership around the creation of Electus Distribution.
This is a new distribution entity that will handle worldwide sales for Electus‘ content, including television, motion picture and digital.
Electus Distribution will be run by Silverman and Shine International president Chris Grant and its operations will be based at Shine International.
Electus and Shine International management are currently identifying candidates to staff the division, reporting to Silverman and Grant. Electus is also increasing operations to handle the growing slate of programming within Electus and its content labels.
In addition to the international distribution partnership, Electus and Shine International will look to co-fund projects and third party production deals together.
Grant says, “It‘s a special thrill to collaborate with Ben, whose approach to international content has helped shape my vision of the distribution business, and whose pioneering work with international formats and shows has had a transformative effect on the TV landscape. We look forward to adding the tremendous range of content Ben will generate at Electus to our rapidly growing slate of international programming.”
Israel-based Abbot Reif Hameiri Production Company, is the first distribution partnership of Electus Distribution. Under the terms of the agreement, Electus Distribution will develop Abbot Reif Hameiri‘s Israeli programming in the United States across all platforms, including mobile, internet and TV. Likewise, Abbot Reif Hameiri has the opportunity to repurpose Electus‘ multi-platform content to sell to the Israeli marketplace.
Abbot Reif Hameiri Production Company CEO Guy Hameiri says, “This unique collaboration is the first of its kind in Israel, and provides an exceptional opportunity – both for talented artists and for our company. The industry in Israel is abundant with creative ideas that do not gain development and impact globally. Working with Electus will allow us to provide a proper platform for talented artists and strengthen our presence in the global content market.”
This alternative distribution model will be the first partnership of its kind to tap into the vast pool of content and talent in the Israeli market and to bring it to global audiences across all platforms. As one of its first projects, Electus has secured the rights to bring Cuckoo‘s Nest, an interactive game show on Facebook produced by Abbott Reif Hameiri Production Company in Israel, to the US.
Incorporating daily original live broadcasts from within Facebook, the next-generation format fuses a virtual home-based game with a real studio-based game and Electus will be the first studio to bring such an interactive format to the U.S.
Silverman says, “The content distribution business is evolving rapidly and I‘m thrilled to be partnering with my friends at Shine and working again with Chris Grant to build a next generation distribution company that taps into alternative models and new platforms. Chris is an innovator and leader with the best reputation in international distribution.
Niret Alva, Founder and chief creative officer of Alva Brothers adds, “We cherish the same values of creativity, smart business and a passion for success. He is a great leader and attracts the best minds in the 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.
