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Ofcom to investigate the UK pay TV market
MUMBAI: UK media regulator Ofcom has announced that it will investigate the pay TV market. This includes obtaining information from market participants. Ofcom had received a submission from BT, Setanta, Top Up TV, and Virgin Media, which asks it to investigate the pay TV industry and to consider whether to make a market reference to the Competition Commission under the Enterprise Act 2002. Pay TV includes subscription and video-on-demand television services on all platforms: cable, digital terrestrial television (DTT), satellite and TV over DSL. |
Ofcom will decide whether to make a market reference to the Competition Commission. Ofcom will also consider whether any concerns would be better addressed using sectoral powers or the Competition Act 1998. Consumer groups including the Ofcom Consumer Panel and the National Consumer Council have also expressed concerns to Ofcom about one aspect of the pay TV market: the loss of BSkyB channels on Virgin Media’s pay TV platform. Separately, BSkyB has announced a proposal to launch a new pay TV service on the DTT platform, based on new set-top box specifications. On receipt of a licence application, Ofcom would consult on whether to approve the licence variations needed for such a service. In the meantime, the implications of the possible entry of BSkyB into the pay DTT market, including impact on consumers and emerging competition, will be part of the market investigation. |
The investigation will be concerned with features of the market, including control over content, ownership of distribution platforms, retail subscriber bases and vertical integration. |
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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.
