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Verizon, Starz Entertainment announce new Fios TV agreement
MUMBAI: Verizon and Starz Entertainment in the US have announced a new, multi-year agreement that extends and expands the Fiox TV affiliation agreement between the companies.
As part of the new comprehensive deal, Verizon will continue to offer the full complement of Starz Entertainment‘s offerings, including its premium linear and HD channels, On Demand, HD On Demand and onlineservices.
The new agreement secures rights for Verizon to offer its Fios TV customers 23 Straz and Encore channels, the respective HD channels, and the associated Starz Entertainment subscription VOD offerings including Straz On Demand.. It also enables Verizon to offer Fios TV customers Movieplex as well as other premium services in the future.
Verizon VP of content strategy and acquisition Terry Denson said, “Offering hit movies and exciting originals across multiple platforms from Starz and Encore is a great benefit for our Fios customers. Putting the best in premium programming in the hands of consumers is just one of the many ways in which Fios delivers the best entertainment value in the marketplace.”
Starz Entertainment executive VP sales and affiliate relations Ed Huguez said, “Starz is very pleased to build upon the successful business relationship with Verizon and provide the best value in exclusive hit movies and compelling original programming today. Verizon has been an industry leader in offering the best video content for its Fios TV customers, and we look forward to working with them to enhance the premium experience for their STARZ and Encore subscribers.”
The Starz Entertainment programming is part of Fios TV‘s broad overall collection, which offers more than 520 all-digital channels including up to 146 HD channels. Starz programming on Fios features 23 premium channels as well as video-on-demand content that now includes 3D movies. Fios also provides next-generation interactive services including an advanced interactive media guide; social networking, news and entertainment widgets; remote DVR management via broadband or cell phone; and more.
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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.
