News Broadcasting
BBC Motion Gallery to give online access to image clips
MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide the commercial arm of the BBC has announced the launch of BBC Motion Gallery. This will provide direct access via the Internet to moving image clips from the BBC and CBS News archives.
BBC Motion Gallery incorporates and extends BBC Worldwide’s existing 10 million pounds footage sales business by developing new opportunities outside the traditional broadcast market. In addition it will provide cost-effective, creative solutions to media professionals on a global basis.
As part of the launch BBC Motion Gallery has developed a website bbcmotiongallery.com. It has a core collection of some 10,000 moving images from which media professionals around the world will be able to search and license clips for a wide variety of uses ranging from corporate videos, new media, advertising, TV and feature films.
Providing an effective and efficient business tool, the new online platform will be the commercial gateway to the vast range of content held in two of the largest broadcast archives in the world BBC and CBS News. Representing just “the tip of the iceberg” in terms of size and scope, the content on the site will be constantly updated.
A sophisticated search engine and project management tools make it easy for users to access the relevant content and collaborate with colleagues through the site. The first stage of the website development gives customers the opportunity, for the first time, to view moving images from the BBC archive. Additional functionality will be added to the site over time to provide further features.
BBC Worldwide CEO Rupert Gavin said, ” It is crucial that we maximise the value of the BBC archive. By using digital technology we will open up our business to its full potential. The overall global market in archive footage is estimated to be worth around 150 million pounds per annum and our new service will give us a bigger foothold in this very important market.”
BBC Motion Gallery MD Simon Gibbs added, “The demand for motion imagery is forecast to grow substantially over the next decade. The expansion of broadband and third generation telephony is opening up an increasing number of media outlets. As one of the world’s leading media companies, with its access to a vast archive and a substantial global reach, this is a natural market for BBC Worldwide to exploit.”
The BBC archive houses some 500 million feet of film and 350,000 hours of video dating from 1934. More than 200 hours of new content is added every week. The extensive collection spans all genres from news, natural history, and wildlife, locations, science, technology, the performing arts. The archive offers an abundance of original programming such as iTop Of the Pops, The Office, Walking with Dinosaurs and The Blue Planet.
From CBS News clients can select footage covering almost every major historic event from the past 50 years. They include the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the Vietnam War and Neil Armstrong’s first lunar steps, the Challenger explosion and the events of 9/11.
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.
