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Sundance Channel launches in Thailand, China
MUMBAI: Sundance Channel will be seen for the first time in Thailand on TrueVisions, the country’s largest pay-TV operator and the second largest DTH platform in Southeast Asia.
AMC/Sundance Channel Global has announced new distribution deals for Sundance Channel in Asia and expanded on demand offerings in Europe.
Sundance On-Demand will also debut in China for the first time on BesTV, Shanghai Media Group’s booming IPTV platform business. In Europe, Sundance Channel will expand its on-demand offerings with a VOD launch on Belgacom, Belgium’s leading telecommunications company. It has also partnered with French cable operator Numericable to offer VoD rights for ‘Mad Men‘ to authenticated subscribers as a complement to Sundance Channel’s pre-existing linear service.
This news follows the distribution growth for Sundance Channel across Europe and Asia over the past few months. This includes new network launches in Taiwan, Korea, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Poland, Portugal and Hungary, along with the recent TV Everywhere launch in Spain on iPhone and iPad devices.
Sundance Channel was established by Robert Redford and offers audiences a diverse and engaging selection of independent films, documentaries and original programmes.
AMC/Sundance Channel Global president Bruce Tuchman commented, “AMC/Sundance Channel Global continues to see great momentum in building a truly global network of channels catering to audiences and markets all over the world. Our first-ever launches in Thailand and China will extend the Sundance brand across these high growth Asian markets. We’ll continue to pursue expansion across linear and on-demand platforms, including TV Everywhere initiatives, to offer audiences wider access to our iconic content on an authenticated basis to reinforce the high value of the pay-TV ecosystem.”
Sundance VOD will launch for the first time in China on BesTV, Shanghai Media Group’s IPTV platform. The BesTV offering will present a robust and eclectic mix of films representing the best in independent cinema. Shanghai Media Group will also make select Sundance VOD offerings available on its TV Everywhere service via mobile and tablet devices to authenticated subscribers following the VOD launch.
Expanding and enriching the 24/7 linear channel on Belgacom in Belgium, Sundance Channel will launch an on demand offering which includes both films and series. In France, the channel has partnered with Numericable to offer exclusive VOD rights for Mad Men to authenticated subscribers in addition to Sundance Channel’s pre-existing linear service.
Sundance Channel also continues to provide on demand offerings on Numericable which complement programming themes and stunts on the linear feed.
Sundance Channel is available to pay-TV operators worldwide as a standard and high definition linear television channel, VOD service and via online authenticated streaming. Additionally, select VOD program offerings are available during theatrical windows so audiences can watch films in the comfort of their own home while movies are still in theatres.
In addition to Sundance Channel, AMC/Sundance Channel Global offers We tv in Asia, a women’s lifestyle network that features wedding and celebrity driven reality programming such as Braxton Family Values, Joan and Melissa: Joan Knows Best, My Fair Wedding With David Tutera, Shannen Says and Tori and Dean.
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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.
