News Broadcasting
CBS and RealNetworks team to stream video of ‘Big Brother: All Stars’
MUMBAI: CBS reality show Big Brother: All Stars will premiere on 6 July with a strong online backing. With its seventh season, CBS has teamed up with RealNetworks to stream 24/7 video from the Big Brother house along with Big Brother blog and Big Brother talk show House Calls, which will stream daily for free on CBS.com.
The series will also be streamed on CBS.com’s new broadband channel Innertube beginning the day after the episode airs on the channel. The webcast on RealNetwork will also premiere on 6 July, immediately following the East coast broadcast of the show at 8 pm ET.
According to an official release, subscribers to the 24/7 video stream can watch any one of four live camera feeds from the Big Brother: All Stars house or catch all of the action at once with the special quad-cam view, which allows fans to simultaneously see four different video feeds.
In addition, Real and CBS are enhancing the Big Brother 24/7 experience with the introduction of new interactive features that bring together the fan community. Fans can interact with one another in Big Brother-focused blogs, chat rooms, message boards and weekly polls and get much more information on the show and houseguests. The entire three-month season of Big Brother: All Stars will be available through SuperPass. Subcribers who want to see everything that happens in the house, including things they won’t show on TV, can sign up for the webcast via the official Big Brother: All Stars website at www.CBS.com and through Real’s SuperPass website at www.real.com/bigbrother, adds the release.
They can have an access with $14.99 monthly or $39.99 for a discounted three-month subscription, with a free trial for everyone who signs up.
“Together, CBS and Real are delivering TV on the Web in an entirely new way,” said RealNetworks senior vice president of media software and services Harold Zeitz. “Real’s ‘Big Brother’ offering begins where reality TV leaves off, blending around-the-clock streaming video with blogs, chat and other fan-friendly features that allow fans to stay immersed in the Big Brother experience.”
“The Big Brother web offering is even better this year, with the addition of new ways for fans to interact with each other and stay engaged with the show 24/7,” said CBS.com VP and GM Brinley Turner. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Real to enhance the ‘Big Brother’ experience by enabling fans to check in on houseguests at anytime and watch as the action unfolds.”
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
