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Star launches four Indian channels in South Africa
MUMBAI: Star India has launched four channels – Star Plus, Star Gold, Vijay and Channel [V] – in South Arica on Top TV, the new pay-TV service.
The four channels, bundled under ‘Top Star’, will be available for Rs 60 per month. However, from 1 November until the end of December, the new bouquet will be free for all Top-TV subscribers.
Star Plus (Hindi general entertainment channel), Star Gold (Bollywood movies channel), Vijay (Tamil general entertainment channel) and Channel [V] (music channel) are available on channels 370, 371, 372 and 373.
Star International EVP Rajan Singh says, “Star is very proud to bring top quality programming from India for Tamil and Hindi viewers in South Africa. We are very excited to join hands with Top TV and be the first Indian television network to launch our channels in South Africa.”
Adds Top TV GM, channels Ian Woodrow, “We are excited to be able to introduce India’s popular channels to our platform. This is a huge coup for us in terms of the varied, innovative and engaging programming these channels will bring to the TopTV subscriber.”
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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.
