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Trai defied TDSAT order on tariff regulation for DTH: TataSky
NEW DELHI: The counsel for TataSky today pleaded with the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to ask Trai to regulate tariff on DTH platforms, and complained that despite the Tribunal‘s order on this issue, Trai had completely disobeyed this, as reflected in its latest Consultation Paper on DTH. Arguing in the TataSky Vs Zee Turner case being heard at TDSAT, senior counsel for TataSky Ramji Srinivas reminded that the Tribunal in its order dated July 14 2006, had specifically ordered Trai to take up the issue of tariff control on the DTH platform, but the sector regulator has not done that. Instead, Srinivas pointed out to the Tribunal, that the latest consultation paper from Trai specifically on the issue of DTH-related issues, says that the tariff issue is not being taken into consideration for the moment. |
RN Chaubey, advisor (B&CS), Trai had earlier this week told indiantelevision.com that it was not considering the tariff issue, though this is for the moment. During the course of hearing this year, TDSAT had asked Trai whether it would like to regulate tariff and look into the issue of transponder space constraint. In its reply to this, Trai had said that it was considering the issue and would issue a consultation paper soon. However, the paper issued by Trai on March 2 did not take this issue of tariff into consideration. Srinivasan told the court that if there could be tariff regulation in the case of Cas, why has refused to get into tariff regulation for DTH, especially after the TDSAT itself had issued an order to this effect. |
In arguing for his client, Srinivas said that the manner in which Zee Turner was forcing it to carry “junk channels”, thus cramming its limited transponder capacity, was not in line with the consistent insistence of the TDSAT and Trai that the key words in this whole new regime was freedom of consumer choice. He argued that the Trai regulation on the issue did not imply a “must carry” clause, and said Trai had repeatedly reiterated this. However, Zee was interpreting the clause 7.6 of the Trai regulation saying that it implied “must carry” for all the channels it feeds the DTH operator with. The court adjourned the case till tomorrow, and the matter remained part heard. Zee Turner is set to argue its case in the final hearing slated for March 8. |
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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.
