News Broadcasting
CNN’s daily audience base up 35%: Pax Survey
MUMBAI: Global market research company Synovate Pax’s survey results reveal that CNN’s audience growth across the Asia Pacific region out-paced all gains for the news genre, with daily audiences up by a remarkable 35 per cent year-on-year.
Further evidence of CNN’s pre-eminence is supported by results that show, the network is viewed by 14 per cent more people each week, and 16 per cent more each month, than all other news and business channels combined, informs an official release.
This represents the sixth successive set of Pax results to show growth in CNN’s audience, claiming that one which also added 56 per cent more past-week viewers and 65 per cent more past-month viewers than the next placed news channel (BBC World).
Turner International Asia Pacific VP of research Duncan Morris says, “With the fast pace of globalization more and more people find they need an international perspective so we are absolutely delighted with
this further ringing endorsement of CNN’s newsgathering credentials.”
“Our award winning coverage of global events has clearly resonated with our audience, particularly so as we are watched by 39 per cent more top management each day than any other measured channel.
” The benefits of this audience growth for advertisers are real as, for example, each month CNN now reaches 169,000 (+40per cent) more people planning to buy an LCD or plasma TV than it did a year ago, as well as 479,000 or 23 per cent more car owners,” adds Morris.
The full-year survey results, conducted by Synovate, further reveal almost half (46 per cent) of CNN’s weekly audience view no other news/business channel during the course of a week, and 39 per cent of them remain loyal across a month.
CNN.com remains the leading regional website, visited by 54 per cent more Pax respondents across a month than the next largest broadcaster or publisher’s website.
Pax represents a universe of 14.2 million adults aged 25-64 within 11 Asia Pacific markets, including Australia (Sydney + Melbourne), Bangkok, Hong Kong, India (Delhi + Mumbai + Bangalore), Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo.
These 14.2 million individuals consist of 13.0 million affluent adults, 3.8 million business decision makers and 0.8 million top management.With a total sample size of over 20,000, Pax fieldwork takes place continually throughout the year. Results are released each quarter on a rolling 4-quarters basis. The Q1-Q4 2005 period represents the latest Pax data release.
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.
