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Food Network to launch on Orbit Showtime on 1 February
MUMBAI: Scripps Networks International‘s Food Network roll-out in the Middle East continues with the launch of the channel on Orbit Showtime Network (OSN) on 1 February.
OSN is the platform for exclusive premium Western and Arabic entertainment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Food Network will reach OSN‘s subscribers in the Middle East with a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week broadcast in English and subtitled in Arabic. The Middle East launch follows Food Network‘s November debut in the United Kingdom.
“The introduction of Food Network to viewers in the Middle East is another major step in our developing international expansion strategy. Orbit Showtime is a great distribution partner for Food Network and we look forward to working closely with them as we capitalize on the universal appeal of food programming and grow this business,” said Scripps Networks International president Greg Moyer.
OSN CEO Marc-Antoine d‘Halluin says, “We are pleased with launching Food Network on OSN as part of our 75 channel platform. Food programming is among the popular shows in the region and I am confident that viewers will enjoy this new and dedicated cuisine channel.”
In the Middle East, Food Network will showcase cooking series from chefs including Ina Garten‘s Barefoot Contessa and Rachael Ray‘s 30 Minute Meals, alongside brand new episodes of the entertainment show Food Network Challenge and new premieres of primetime series including Iron Chef America and Chopped.
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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.
