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Tdsat dismisses Pune MSO plea against Ten Sports for digital signals
NEW DELHI: The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat) has rejected a petition by the Pune-based
multi-system-operator Intermedia Cable Communication (ICC) against Ten Sports seeking directions that the sports channel must provide digital signals to it on a voluntary Cas basis.
After hearing the case, Tdsat chairman SP Sinha and Member PK Rastogi said the MSO cannot enforce MoU against Ten Sports since ICC themselves have not provided Subscriber Line Report (SLR). The tribunal also levied a cost of Rs 50,000 on the MSO.
It was also noted that since ICC chose not to divulge the subscriber base which it had with other sports channels, non-production of the documents could entail drawing of an adverse inference against it. The tribunal observed that it is highly improbable that ICC did not know its subscriber numbers/base.
This means Ten Sports can re-negotiate with ICC on the minimum subscriber base of 31,000. Furthermore, Ten Sports is not obliged to provide the digital signals akin to Cas in a non-Cas area.
Ten Sports had claimed that the broadcaster is obliged to supply signal to MSO on a non-discriminatory basis, but it does not necessarily mean that the MSO has a legal right to receive signals on an addressable system irrespective of the fact that other MSOs are not ready and willing to take supply of signals on a digital platform.
Furthermore, the Central Government has not declared Pune as a Cas area. Hence, Ten Sports is not bound to supply signals on a digital platform. Voluntary Cas has been connected by way of mutual agreement and not by way of compulsion.
On the other hand, the MSO had said the broadcaster was statutorily obliged to supply signals on a digital mode especially if it was willing to put in place the requisite equipment and also comply with the various terms and conditions. It was further argued that since the numbers have been agreed upon, the broadcasters can neither refuse any payment nor refuse to enter into an agreement.
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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.
