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Pathfire, Warner Bros. create file-based HD delivery service
MUMBAI: US media firm Warner Bros. and Pathfire have teamed up to create a full-service, end-to-end high definition (HD) programming distribution network, capable of delivering This partnership enables Warner Bros. to deliver High Definition (HD) Syndication via Pathfire‘s Digital Media Gateway (DMG) network of servers. |
The service was launched a few days ago when Warner Bros. delivered long-form programming encoded at its Los Angeles-based Global Digital Media XChange facility (GDMX) to WSB-TV in Atlanta. The delivery utilised the existing Pathfire infrastructure to enable the satellite delivery of the programming. The content arrived on the Pathfire DMG Server located at WSB, and was transferred to a Grass Valley Group K2 Media Server via Pathfire‘s DMG HD Server Connect for Programming. This strictly file-based process enables stations to benefit from a streamlined workflow by cutting the time and hands required to get a program ready for air. Pathfire chairman and CEO Mike Eckert says, “An HD store-and-forward delivery platform capable of delivering long-form programming is a first for our industry. This is a tremendous |
GDMX senior VP and GM Paul Saccone says, “Global Digital Media XChange is proud to highlight our ability to distribute long-form syndicated programming along with ads via the Pathfire DMG platform. Our customers are looking for a way to efficiently and affordably deliver HD programming and our GDMX facility can provide the required service. “We are pleased to be working with Pathfire in this area. This test served as a proof of concept and we will continue to work with Pathfire in order to maximize our HD/SD work flow processes.” Utilising the Pathfire DMG HD delivery network, GDMX delivers file-based HD content on-demand, virtually without delay. Pathfire provides end-to-end technology to enable this delivery all the way to the station‘s play-to-air server, providing delivery confirmation to the providers. Pathfire enables native integration into play-to-air servers, as well as providing transcoding to either 1080i or 720p to match a station‘s infrastructure. Pathfire‘s DMG HD product line has been shaped, developed, and released with guidance from the industry‘s top technology leaders. The Pathfire-led, HD Conclave — comprised of experts from content providers, content distributors, and broadcast groups — has provided Pathfire with industry validation in the form of technical guidance for the Pathfire DMG HD product roadmap. The successes so far in HD distribution are a direct result of the industry working together to create a standard platform for HD distribution. The Conclave‘s efforts enabled a superior solution for the challenges associated with HD content distribution. |
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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.
