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News Corporation announces new appointments
MUMBAI: News Corporation Chief Digital Officer Jon Miller has announced a series of executive appointments within the company’s Digital Media Group, the division responsible for driving digital strategy across the organisation, and directing the company’s standalone digital media businesses. News Corp Digital Media’s (NDM) new executive team includes General Counsel and executive VP of business affairs Dan Fawcett; executive VP of operations Jack Kennedy; executive VP of strategy and corporate development Jorge Espinel and senior VP of Safety, Security and Privacy Hemanshu (Hemu) Nigam. |
MySpace, IGN Entertainment, Fox Audience Network, Photobucket, Beliefnet and Fox Mobile Group will now be directed by NDM the management team orf which will support these businesses in the areas of long-term strategy, corporate development, business and legal affairs, while also serving as a central bridge to other entities within News Corporation. Said Miller, “In finalising the structure of News Corp. Digital Media with the appointment of an incredibly talented executive team, our goal was to empower the leadership at our digital properties to operate in a more streamlined environment, giving them the freedom and support to more directly and efficiently manage their businesses. “News Corp. Digital Media will play a lead role in shaping digital strategy across News Corporation, ensuring a consistent, long-term vision of both product innovation and revenue generation across the entire company,” miller added. As general counsel and executive VP business affairs, Fawcett will oversee business and legal affairs for NDM. Fawcett will add these duties to his ongoing responsibilities as President of Digital Media for Fox, where he reports to Chase Carey and provides senior level strategic counsel for Fox Entertainment Group’s vast array of digital initiatives. Fawcett has served in a number of executive roles at News Corp over the past decade, and has been President of Digital Media since 2007, where, among other things, he played an instrumental role in the formation and launch of Hulu. As executive VP of operations, Kennedy will oversee the group’s day-to-day operations. He is also a veteran of News Corp, most recently serving as executive VP of Strategy and Corporate Development at Fox Interactive Media, where he led the company’s M&A activity. Previously, Kennedy was Fox Networks Group senior VP of Corporate Development. His background includes multiple leadership and strategic roles with technology start-ups, including Craig McCaw and Bill Gates-backed satellite broadband start-up Teledesic; pioneering online video site Load Media Network, where he served as CEO; and several regional wireless services providers. As eecutive VP of Strategy and Corporate Development, Jorge Espinel will oversee the group’s long-term strategic direction, including M&A. Most recently, he was a partner at Velocity Interactive Group (recently renamed Fuse Capital), a digital media investment firm. |
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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.
