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US: Big gap between HDTV ownership & HD programming usage
MUMBAI: The number of households with an installed high-definition television
However, this installed base of households is decidedly biased to two countries: the US and Japan. Further, within the US market, there is a significant gap between HDTV ownership and households utilising HD programming, reports In-Stat. |
The number of US HDTV households, defined as households having both an installed HD-capable TV set and also receiving and watching HD programming, increased by almost 40 per cent in 2008. However, the growth rate could well have been much larger. “In the US, there are more than 39 million households with an installed HDTV set,” according to Mike Paxton, an In-Stat analyst. “However, only 22 million of those are HDTV households, meaning that 17 million US households with an installed HDTV set are not watching HD programming.” |
Recent research by In-Stat also found the following: * On a global basis, HDTV service remains limited to a relatively small number of countries, primarily the US and Japan. * At year-end 2008, there were over 36 million HDTV households worldwide, up from 29 million at year-end 2007. * Even though the number of European HDTV households is rising, it will be 2011 before the number of HDTV households in that region reaches the 10 million mark. * Cable and satellite TV service providers provide HD programming to almost 80 per cent of all HDTV households. Telco TV service providers and terrestrial broadcast TV service providers provide service to the remaining HDTV households. |
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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.
