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M7 Group adds additional transponder on Astra 23.5
MUMBAI: M7 Group has signed a long-term agreement with SES Astra to have an additional transponder on Astra at 23.5 degrees East. The capacity will be used for the continued transmission of Dutch regional broadcasters as well as for additional high definition (HD) services.
The agreement represents the fifth Astra 23.5 East transponder that M7 Group contracted since the introduction of Astra 23.5 East in 2007 as a new DTH hot spot for the Benelux market that consists of countries like Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Due to the successful introduction in 2007 of the Duo LNB for the simultaneous reception of Astra 19.2 East and 23.5 East, a vast majority of DTH homes in the Benelux countries are in a position of receiving programmes via both positions.
The launch by M7 Group of an extensive line-up of over 25 HD channels for the Dutch and Flemish markets in 2007 was another important stimulus for the rapid 23.5 East development in the Benelux market.
The Luxembourg-based M7 Group provides DTH to more than one million homes in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria using the brand names CanalDigitaal, TV Vlaanderen, TéléSat and AustriaSat.
In addition, M7 Group operates four transponders at Astra at 19.2 degrees East.
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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.
