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ESS launches HD channels on cable networks
MUMBAI: ESPN Star Sports (ESS) has launched the services of its HD channels on cable networks including IndusInd Media Communications (Incable), Seven Star network in Mumbai and UCN in Central India.
ESS has signed the distribution contracts with the MSOs.
Till now, ESPN HD and Star Cricket HD were available only on DTH networks.
ESPN Software India VP – affiliate sales TS Panesar said, “We are extremely confident about the future prospects of our HD offerings and this is just a start. With the digitisation of the entire distribution industry in cable fraternity on the anvil, this deal with the leading MSOs is a harbinger of what is in store in the future.”
Incable CEO Nagesh Chhabria said, “Even though the number of subscribers of HD channels are currently low, we are confident that the base would grow at a very healthy pace. This is the future and as always, we wanted to be at the forefront.”
Seven Star director Nadir Ali added, “It is interesting to note how the industry is shaping up. We are ready with the back-end infrastructure to support and in fact are leading these new changes that are happening in the cable distribution sector. HD channels have huge potential.”
UCN Nagpur director Jagdish Paliya said, “We have always believed in giving maximum options to our consumers and the addition of ESPN HD and STAR Cricket HD is a step in that direction. India Australia tour should give a fillip to the HD subscriber base in the country.”
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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.
