News Broadcasting
News Corp’s Q1 Net soars 27 % to $ 536 million
MUMBAI: Media mogul Rupert Murdoch must be one happy man. If the brilliant first quarter results his News Corp has just delivered were not enough, that his choice for US president George W Bush has so convincingly won a second term in office must have given him additional reason to crow.
News Corp has announced a 27 per cent increase in its first-quarter (ending 30 September) Net, helped by growth in advertising at the Fox News Channel and the Fox broadcast network, as well as a strong performance from the company’s newspapers in the UK and Australia.
Net profit stood at $536 million as against $422 million in the corresponding quarter last year. Net income was up to $536 million from $422 million a year ago. Sales were up 12 per cent at $5.19 billion from last year’s $4.6 billion.
A 12 per cent jump has also been seen in the consolidated operating income at $805 million from $719 million last year.
News Corp will also be relocating its headquarters and main listing to the United States from Australia for which it has just received court clearance.
Among the new initiatives in the pipeline are plans for a financial news channel. Negotiations are currently on with distributors to carry the channel, Murdoch said in a conference call. “We are planning to do, certainly, a top business news channel some time in the future,” News Corp’s chairman and CEO has been quoted in media reports as saying.
STAR’S STOCK CONTINUES TO RISE
News Corp’s broadcast television business rose 30 per cent to $233 million from $179 million on higher ad prices and lower costs for prime-time programs. A significant contribution came in from Asia, with the Star Group reporting higher operating profits. Star’s revenues were up 14 per cent on the back of increased ad sales out of India and China as well.
Meanwhile, billionaire cable TV investor John Malone’s Liberty Media has said it may buy $1.5 billion of News Corp.’s voting stock in an equity swap deal with Merrill Lynch in April 2005. Liberty said in a statement that it had entered into a transaction involving 84.7 million shares.
Reports say that if the deal goes through, it could double Liberty’s current 9.15 per cent voting stake in the company, potentially paving the way for a challenge to the Murdoch family’s hold on News Corp.
Murdoch, however, appeared unperturbed. “I think it’s an endorsement of the company,” he said. “I say that quite sincerely. I’m not losing any sleep over it.”
News Corp. is the world’s fifth largest media group and owns the Fox network, 20th Century Fox film studios and a host of newspaper and satellite assets including BSkyB and DirecTV.
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.
