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Universal Channel HD launches in Malaysia on HyppTV
MUMBAI: Universal Networks International (UNI) has announced the launch of Universal Channel HD, its first high definition channel in South East Asia. The channel launched this week on Telekom Malaysia‘s IPTV platform HyppTV.
The launch follows UNI‘s first Asian HD launch in 2010 – Universal Channel HD Japan – with plans for further HD launches of its channel brands in the Asia Pacific region in the year ahead.
Universal Networks International MD Asia Pacific Raymund Miranda said, “We‘re extremely proud of this important milestone. Less than three years after launching in the region, we now have four channelbrands across 21 countries and are now offering our HD channels to platforms, advertisers and consumers.”
Universal Networks International and digital initiatives president Roma Khanna said, “The launch of Universal Channel HD in South East Asia continues UNI‘s ongoing commitment to high definition as we continue to break ground in pay-TV viewer enjoyment via both top-quality content and technical investments in our channel brands, around the world.”
Beyond Asia, UNI will continue its roll-out of HD channels as a strategic priority in 2011, having already launched in Latin America, UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany and Japan.
Universal Channel in Asia airs shows such as the Law And Order franchise, The Event, The Office and Flashpoint. It will premiere Law and Order: Los Angeles and the modern office comedy Outsourced.
UNI delivers four channel brands – Diva Universal, Universal Channel, Syfy Universal and 13th St Universal. It has original and co-produced series such as The Biggest Loser Asia, Rookie Blue, Haven, Covert Affairs, Fairly Legal, Shattered and Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files.
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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.
