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Tom Gleeson expands role with ESPN Digital Media
MUMBAI: US sports broadcaster ESPN has announced that ESPN International VP digital media Tom Gleeson will expand his responsibilities to include oversight of all ESPN digital media efforts outside of the US.
Gleeson currently oversees the company’s growing digital businesses in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA),
In his new role, he will direct the company’s Internet, mobile and broadband businesses in EMEA, Latin America, and Asia/Pacific region. Gleeson will be based in London and will report to ESPN International executive VP, MD Russell Wolff.
Wolff said, “Tom brings a blend of business intelligence, content know-how, technical understanding and leadership to the job, which will help us find ways to creatively serve fans and effectively monetise our content and services across mediums.”
Gleeson says, “Digital media crosses boundaries and borders in the same way that passion for sport does. I am looking forward to continuing the growth and innovation of our global sites, services and social connection to fans through digital media”.
Gleeson joined ESPN in 2007, when the global sports media company acquired Cricinfo, where he as CEO. He will now be working closely with ESPN’s regional MDs around the world to develop digital businesses in their regions, as well as working with management for ESPNDeportes (the company’s Spanish-language business in the US).
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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.
