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Singapore’s FTA TV channels to go fully digital by 2013
MUMBAI: Singapore‘s free-to-air (FTA) TV channels will go fully digital by the end of 2013 using the DVB-T2 (Digital Video Broadcasting – Second Generation Terrestrial) broadcasting standard, according to the Media Development Authority (MDA).
With Singapore‘s migration to digital TV, free-to-air broadcaster MediaCorp will transmit all its seven free-to-air channels digitally by end 2013.
Channels 5, 8, Suria and Vasantham will be available in High Definition by end 2013. The remaining three channels – okto, Channel U and Channel NewsAsia will first be broadcast in Standard Definition from end 2013, before being broadcast in High Definition in 2016.
Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Dr Yaacob Ibrahim said, “The world is switching from analogue to digital TV broadcasting as digital TV not only offers better image and sound quality, but also frees up scarce spectrum for other services, such as wireless broadband”.
The adoption of DVB-T2 standard comes after a successful trial conducted last year with MediaCorp and pay-TV operator StarHub. The trial, which involved some 500 households in Ang Mo Kio and Bedok housing estates, showed that DVB-T2 was suitable for deployment in Singapore‘s urbanised environment.
To ensure a smooth switchover, there will be a simulcast period, where both digital and analogue free-to-air television signals will be broadcast to ensure all households have time to get accustomed to receiving their free-to-air TV signals digitally.
Singapore will complete the switchover from analogue to digital broadcasting by 2020, in line with ASEAN‘s agreed timeframe for making the switch(1).
Benefits for consumers: Once DVB-T2 broadcasting begins, consumers can enjoy an enhanced viewing experience when watching MediaCorp‘s free-to-air digital television channels. This includes sharper and clearer images, cinematic surround-sound effects, and new content and services such as an electronic programme guide.
Consumers will have different options to tune into digital free-to-air broadcasts. Those who are currently watching MediaCorp channels via a StarHub or SingTel pay TV service are already receiving digital channels. Thus, no action is needed on their part.
Consumers who are non-pay TV subscribers will need a DVB-T2 digital receiver and an indoor or outdoor antenna to receive digital TV signals on their current TV sets.
MDA is working with manufacturers to develop the technical specifications suitable for Singapore‘s digital TV receivers. These digital TV receivers are expected to be available in Singapore from early next year before MediaCorp starts transmitting the free-to-air channels digitally at the end of 2013.
MDA will work closely with MediaCorp, as well as manufacturers and electronics stores on an educational campaign to help consumers prepare for the digital switchover.
In the Asia-Pacific region, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and South Korea are planning to go digital between 2012 and 2015, while Japan has already gone fully digital since June 2011.However, should they have secondary TV sets not subscribed to Pay TV service, these TV sets would require a digital receiver and antenna each.
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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.
