Applications
SC to hear plea against Trai’s tariff order next month
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has asked the broadcasters and multi-system operators to file additional affidavits within a month relating to a case on the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India‘s (Trai) tariff proposal.
The apex court has also directed Trai to file its reply to the objections of the broadcasters within two weeks.
The matter came up for hearing today before a bench comprising Justice P Sathasivam and Justice BS Chauhan.
The court will now hear the objections by broadcasters and MSOs, opposing Trai‘s proposal for three pricing slabs of cable television with a maximum cap of Rs 250, later next month.
The objections have been filed by broadcasters including Sony Group, Star India, Zee Turner, and some MSOs.
Earlier on 21 July, Trai had told the apex court in an affidavit that it planned to introduce three pricing slabs for cable television, with a maximum cap of Rs 250 to bring uniformity all over the country.
Trai had said it was considering limiting the monthly cable charge to Rs 100 per month for a minimum of 30 free-to-air channels. Subscribers opting for a basic package (which includes Doordarshan channels) with up to 20 pay channels will pay a monthly bill of Rs 200. But those taking a basic package with over 20 pay channels will have to pay Rs 250 per month.
Trai’s affidavit followed the apex court’s direction to formulate a comprehensive pricing mechanism for cable services in non-Cas areas after consulting various stakeholders.
The regulator said: “A retail price ceiling — at a reasonable level — that balances the consumers‘ interest with the growth potential of the industry is warranted in the case of cable TV services in non-Cas (conditional access system) markets. The Authority is of the view that the retail price cap for pay cable service should be fixed at Rs 250 per connection per month with the actual monthly bill being left to the business model of the individual operator — subject to the ceiling.”
While saying it was not in favour of allowing market forces to determine the rates of pay channels, Trai allowed broadcasters to raise the price of their channels and existing bouquets by nine per cent due to price inflation on the basis of the wholesale price index (WPI).
Upholding the orders of the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat) the apex court had on 13 May, 2009, directed the regulator to study afresh and issue a comprehensive order on the pricing issue in non-Cas areas of the country.
Later the Court had granted six months extra time in January and directed it to file its report by 30 June 2010 following a request by Trai.
The regulator has also filed a draft copy of the proposed Broadcasting and Cable Services Tariff Order, 2010, which would be notified after the court clears it.
Applications
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.
