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Star, Zee in talks to share distribution
MUMBAI: Star and Zee are in talks to share a common distribution company, a merger of operations that is set to shake up the broadcasting industry as it gathers muscle power to mop up subscription revenues and curtail carriage payouts to cable TV operators.
The Star channels are distributed by Star Den, an equal joint venture between Star and Den. Zee has a distribution joint venture with Turner International where it holds 74 per cent equity.
“Rupert Murdoch’s Star India and Subhash Chandra’s Zee are traditional rivals, but the new guard is having a more collaborative approach. Star India CEO Uday Shankar and Zeel MD and CEO Punit Goenka are close and are more co-operative. So a deal between the two is possible,” an industry source said.
There are several options that can be explored, if Star and Zee decide to combine their distribution business. A possible route could be merging Star Den with Zee-Turner.
“We are not clear what is being decided upon. Turner and Den could be included in the deal. Or it can take any shape. But there is a very strong buzz in the market that Star and Zee are joining hands for distribution,” said sources.
While Shankar and Goenka could not be contacted, Star Den CEO Gurjeev Singh Kapoor did not want to talk about the issue.
Indiantelevision.com had earlier hinted at the consolidation of the distribution business of these two companies without naming them.
According to the report, the discomforting pace at which the carriage market is growing could force a major consolidation in the pay-channel distribution business. “Don‘t be surprised if two big entities decide to merge for distribution,” the report stated.
Digicable MD and CEO Jagjit Singh Kohli said that he had heard of the deal but was waiting for more clarity to emerge.
“If the deal happens, then there may be a slowdown in the carriage market. It could also have an impact on subscription revenues of broadcasters. Besides, there will be pressure on other channel distribution companies to consolidate,” he said.
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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.
