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Trai issues new tariff order, b’casters must offer channels a la carte to MSOs
NEW DELHI: Broadcast Regulator Trai today issued a revised tariff order with an overall ceiling for cable TV services in non-Cas areas, and has ordered broadcasters to offer all channels on an a la carte basis to MSOs. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India‘s order – Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Second) Tariff (Eighth Amendment) Order, 2007 – has the stated aim of more uniform protection of consumer interests in a much more transparent manner. The order will come into effect from 1 December in all areas with non-addressable system, excepting the areas under mandatory Cas, the Trai statement issued here today said. The Trai order says also that broadcasters will be allowed to offer channels in bouquet forms, but to ensure that there is no unhealthy pricing, it has said that the overall price of a bouquet will not exceed 1.5 times the sum total of the channels run in that bouquet. Trai has fixed the tariffs as per the status of cities, which is given in a list available in the order, categorising them as A, A-1, B, B-1 and Others. While the tariffs fixed vary from a minimum of Rs 77 for all categories for FTA channels, the highest tariff fixed is Rs 260 for A and A-1 cities where the offer is a minimum of 30 FTA channels plus more than 45 pay channels. MSOs and LCOs offering up to 20 pay channels and a minimum of 30 FTA will be paid not more than Rs 160 in top cities, Rs 140 in B and B-1 cities and not more than Rs 120 in Other areas. If these MSOs / LCOs offer go up to more than 20 and up to 30 pay channels along with 30 FTAs, they would be able to charge a maximum of Rs 200 in A and A-1 cities, Rs 170 in B and B-1 cities and not more than Rs 160 in Other areas. The highest rate MSOs can charge would be Rs 260 for offering more than 45 pay and 30 FTAs in A and A-1 cities, Rs 220 in the next rung and Rs 200 in the Other areas.
No. of channels
‘A-1’ & ‘A’ class cities
‘B-1’ & ‘B-2’ class cities
Others
Only free to air channels (min.30 FTA channels)
Rs. 77
Rs. 77
Rs. 77
Minimum 30 FTA channels plus upto 20 pay channels
Rs. 160
Rs. 140
Rs. 130
Minimum 30 FTA channels plus more than 20 and upto 30 pay channels
Rs. 200
Rs. 170
Rs. 160
Minimum 30 FTA channels plus more than 30 and upto 45 pay channels
Rs. 235
Rs 200
Rs.185
Minimum 30 FTA channels plus more than 45 pay channels
Rs. 260
Rs. 220
Rs. 200
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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.
