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UAE’s Arab Digital launches Hallmark Channel
MUMBAI: Arab Digital Distribution (ADD) has added family entertainment channel Hallmark to its Pehla, Firstnet and ART packages for free of cost. Pehla is the bouquet of Asian entertainment channels while Firstnet clubs togetherr international entertainment channels. ART is the collection of Arabic entertainment channels available in Middle East and North Africa. Hallmark Channel is part of the NBC Universal Global Network family and delivers top dramas and a broad range of genres 24 hours a day. ADD EVP and group strategy and planning Vinod D‘Mello said, “The inclusion of NBC Universal Global Network’s Hallmark Channel in the Pehla, ART and Firstnet packages is part of our continuous efforts to provide our viewers with some of the finest television programmes through the inclusion of high quality entertainment channels to the existing bouquets. Such additions enhance the value of these packages, while simultaneously satisfying the diverse entertainment needs of the audience.”
NBC Universal Global Networks Managing Director (CEE) Colin McLeod said, “We‘re thrilled to be working with ADD and look forward to developing our business in this growing market. The launch underscores NBC Universal Global Networks’ ambitious expansion plans and the international popularity of our brands. With premieres of some of the most lauded made-for-TV movies and drama series in the world Hallmark Channel really does offer the audience a unique and compelling proposition.”
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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.
