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Sun TV restructures distribution biz; creates two verticals
MUMBAI: Southern broadcasting major Sun TV Network is restructuring its distribution business to expand its footprint across the globe via all fixed networks including cable, direct-to-home and internet protocol television, HITS and MMDS.
Sun will create two verticals. While one will manage the South Indian and international business, the other will focus on the expansion of Sun TV bouquet into the north, west and eastern markets of India.
Earlier, Indiantelevision.com had reported that Sun TV would be entering into the distribution of television channels business along the lines of Star Den, Zee Turner and MSM Discovery.
“This is an important initiative for us in the distribution platform business and is being created with the vision of better leveraging our television brands across the country and internationally. The initiative will benefit consumers of all our products and signals our deep commitment to drive greater growth from subscription revenues,” said Sun TV Network chairman and MD Kalanithi Maran.
Sun TV also announced the appointment of two senior distribution professionals – Mohammed Mujeebuddin and Jawed Akhthar – to manage these business units.
Among the new appointments, Mujeebuddin will head the South India and international operations of the company. He comes with over 15 years of experience with the cable and broadcasting industry.
Prior to Sun, he was with Star Den Media Services as EVP, where he was heading the sales function nationally.
Akhtar, on the other hand, will head the North, East and Western India operations. He comes with more than 20 years of experience in channel distribution, subscription and the cable industry.
Earlier, Akhtar was associated with Star TV group for more than 13 years where he was EVP – distribution, managing Star‘s all India cable distribution business. His last assignment was with WWIL/Zee Group as EVP.
The company also said that it is excited in building a robust channel distribution platform. “The vision is to incorporate the best practices to create a platform of premium content, which adds value to the entire distribution chain,” the company 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.
