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Zee launches five more channels on Dish Network in US
MUMBAI: Continuing with its overseas expansion plans, Zee Group has launched five new channels exclusively on Dish Network.
The new channels are Zing, Zee Business, Zee Smile, Zee Kannada and Zee Marathi, making it the largest launch of channels by any South Asian broadcaster in the US. Dish Network already offers Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Alpha ETC Punjabi and Ten Cricket.
Said Zee TV America CEO Suresh Bala, “The advent of more Zee channels on Dish Network acknowledges the vitality and influence of the South Asian audience in the United States. We are pleased to partner with Dish Network to give South Asians who live and work in the US- Indians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, Bangladeshis, and now Kannada and Marathi-speaking audiences a full range of entertainment choices and
business news.”
The South Asian market is the fastest-growing ethnic segment in the US and Zee TV has decided to cater to a wider segment of the South Asian audience with its five new channels, expanding the media company’s reach on Dish Network to nine channels in total.
Averred Dish Network vice president of International Programming Chris Kuelling, “Zee TV’s selection of channels, exclusive nationally to Dish Network, allows the South Asian population in America to connect with their home country in a way not offered by any other television provider.”
Zing is available in the Hindi Mega Pack and Hindi Masti Pack on Dish Network channel 674. Zing offers music and movies, as well as programming on celebrities, lifestyle and fashion, along with behind-the-scenes segments, Bollywood exclusives and Page 3 scoops.
Zee Business is available in the Hindi Mega Pack and Hindi News Pack on channel 644 on Dish Network and Zee Smile on channel 617. Zee Kannada is available in the Kannada Mega Pack on channel 643 and Zee Marathi in the Maha Pack on channel 619.
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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.
