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Streamed TV increasingly popular in the UK: KPMG
MUMBAI: Streamed TV is becoming more mainstream in the UK with the use of online streaming services such as BBC iplayer, ITV iplayer or 4oD on the rise, particularly among younger people, according to the latest KPMG media and entertainment Barometer.
Among streaming services offered in the UK, BBC iPlayer currently has the highest level of awareness with nine in ten people having heard of the online streaming service, followed by ITV player and LoveFilm.
The survey also reveals that consumers are increasingly willing to pay for services. 64 per cent of respondents said they would pay for films online (60 percent in March 2011). Appetite to pay for TV has also been creeping up, from 27 per cent in September 2010, to 28 per cent in March 2011 to 30 per cent by October 2011.
Among those who are or would consider becoming a paid subscriber, film, music and TV is the preferred type of content that consumers are or would be willing to pay for.
KPMG head of media David Elms said, “Judging by our survey it seems that new entrants into the UK market have got their timing right. The foundations for online streaming services to be successful appear to be set. Not only is awareness and usage of streaming high, but willingness to pay for content has increased too. There are, however, barriers, not least the likely cost of set top boxes. What is more, by the end of 2012, everyone in the UK will have digital terrestrial TV, with the choice of between 20 and 30 channels. That’s a lot of free TV. It is possible that the majority of TV households don’t actually need anything more.”
Other key findings:
Smartphone and tablet ownership continues to rise : 44 per cent of respondents said they own a smartphone as their main phone (compared to 36 per cent six months ago and 27% in 2010). More than three quarters of respondents (78 per cent) use their smartphones to browse the Internet and over two thirds (67 per cent) are using them for social networking. Tablet usage has almost doubled since September 2010 and owners continue to use tablets for a wide range of activities. This suggests that tablet owners are becoming more familiar and confident using their tablets as well as increased functionality on account of a wider range of available ‘apps’.
Smartphone and tablet spend is up : Successive waves of research show that the average spend on smartphone and tablet apps is increasing, with eBooks taking up the largest share. Among those who download paid apps, the average spend is now ?6.97 on smartphone (up from ?5.65 six months ago). The average monthly spend on tablet apps has increased too ?10.78 (from ?8.87 six months ago).
Usage of traditional media continues to decline : The majority of respondents said they prefer the use of “traditional media” such as reading physical books or watching TV; however the consumption of traditional media continues to be on the decline (with the exception of watching TV).
In contrast, online newspapers and magazines as well as digital books are becoming increasingly popular, a trend that appears to be driven by the expanding tablet and eReader market. More than half of respondents (55%) said they had read online newspapers in the last month (compared to 40% six months ago) and 14 per cent said they had read digital books (compared to 8% six months ago). Increases in social media usage are also apparent along with online music streaming and downloads.
However, money spent on both traditional and new media has remained stable. Consumers will spend most on eBooks and music download within new media activities; most likely because these are the most expensive to access compared to streaming music/TV, which at the moment tend to be free via online services.
Elms said, “We continue to see mobile media as an attractive means to monetise content, given the continuing rise in the uptake of smartphones, tablets and eReaders. Whilst consumers continue to embrace new media at a rapid pace, a “mixed ecology” persists, with a majority still enjoying traditional media such as reading books or watching TV.”
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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.
