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MTV looks to stay ahead of digital curve in India
MUMBAI: Even as the big media companies gather their forces for the upcoming battles for mind share in the new digital world, each are going about it in different ways. The aim is common to all of them though – multiplatform strategies of building an engaging universe of music, gaming, entertainment, news and interactivity for targeted audiences.
And, while India may not be where the major digital battles are fought any time in the near future, MTV for one is attempting to stay ahead of the curve and preparing for more change by introducing new mobile and online services for the ‘networked generation’.
For MTV Networks International senior vice president (digital media) Gideon Bierer, with opportunities unfolding, the country is approaching an inflexion point as regards the digital content delivery story. Bierer believes that new digital services will begin to be introduced in a significant way from next year on but it could take anywhere between three to five years for it to get serious penetration in India.
Queried about revenue streams, Bierer said that like in television subscriptions and advertising would form the main component and digital services also offered revenue opportunities through transactions.
For MTV, the aim is clearly to be the first mover in the digital space and helping it respond to changing tastes and compete with the internet and downloading could be channels like Flux, where the schedule is driven by the public. Flux, the multi-platform social-networking digital service originated by MTV Networks International in Japan last June, is launching in the UK & Ireland markets on 6 September. It is also being introduced in Italy around the same time.
Flux is positioned as a digital community and content integrated youth service that enables viewers to access short videos and music through their mobiles or computers, make recommendations to others and provide feedback. The channel will be aiming to attract the key 13 to 34-year-old demographic.
There is also the hybrid channel MTV Overdrive launched last April. Available through mtv.com, the initiative is aimed at entertaining viewers with both a linear viewing experience and video on demand capabilities in one web-based application. MTV Overdrive‘s lineup features news, music, on tv and movies among the services it offers.
Now while all this sounds very nice, what a certain Rupert Murdoch would have to say about all this remains to be seen. For in the west where the digital skirmishes are already on in full swing, it is News Corp‘s Myspace that is creating the most frenzy among the demographic that MTV has “owned” for nigh on 25 years. In India, only time will tell whether MTV is able to square up to the Star juggernaught, which has already declared aggressive intent in this domain.
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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.
