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HITS policy: Government allows 74% FDI
MUMBAI: The government has finally come out with a Headend-In-The-Sky (HITS) policy, allowing the use of ‘C‘ and ‘Ku-band‘ in a technology that would help boost digitisation of cable TV services across the country.
HITS operators will have to uplink from India and will have to install SMS and encryption system.
The government has allowed 74 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) for HITS service providers, higher than the 49 per cent cap for cable TV operators. However, prior FIPB (foreign investment promotion board) approval will be required if the FDI is beyond 49 per cent.
“The Union Cabinet today approved the proposal of my Ministry to issue policy guidelines for HITS operators, that provide for a framework within which the service providers will operate,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters.
In a bid to avoid vertical integration and promote competition, the cross media holding restriction of 20 per cent of total paid up equity has been prescribed for various segment of broadcasting services.
There is no restriction on number of permissions. All those found to be eligible and fulfill the terms and conditions can apply for license to the government in the Ministry of I&B.
Though the operators are not permitted to provide signals directly to subscribers, the policy suggests that if the HITS operator is also an MSO/cable operator, he can do so through his distribution network.
Existing permission holders of HITS – like Essel Group – will have to comply and migrate to the new policy regime within three months, failing which their permission will be cancelled. Wire & Wireless (India) Ltd has already launched HITS.
The policy also states that sufficient provisions exist under the guidelines for monitoring of content, inspection and national security related issues.
The policy does not mandate for either the cable operators or subscribers to necessarily obtain signals from a HITS platform/network wherein subscribers and cable operators can continue with the existing system. The cable operators, thus, have the liberty to switch over to HITS provider network, if desired.
Under the HITS policy, the operator uplinks signals of TV channels of different broadcasters to their satellite, enabling cable operators to downlink these signals for further distribution to subscribers through their cable network in a digital form.
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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.
