News Broadcasting
Watchit Media Inc. launches Convention Television
MUMBAI: Cotelligent, Inc. yesterday announced that its wholly owned subsidiary – Watchit Media, Inc. is launching Watchit Convention News (WCN), a unique television product focused on presenting same-day coverage of conventions and conferences in major US markets.
The company produces WCN to bring dynamic video coverage to private television networks. Watchit Media currently narrowcasts video content to 45 gaming casinos and approximately 50,000 hotel rooms in Nevada, California, New Jersey, Mississippi, Indiana, Oregon and Louisiana.Cotelligent chairman and CEO James Lavelle said, “In January, we had issued a release defining our marketing strategy for Watchit which included the televised coverage of major conventions and conferences initially in Las Vegas, then to other major US markets. Over the past several months, our market research and analysis has confirmed that there is a significant opportunity for WCN to bring entertaining, informative, educational and influential televised programming to this unaddressed market.”
In conjunction with conventions and conference organisers and major convention facilities, WCN will offer hotel guests, attendees, exhibitors and the convention facility a way to expand their reach during the convention. Watchit Media currently presents its video content to 21 hotels in the Las Vegas market and hopes that WCN will be an exciting new way to add value to its hospitality customers and to improve their guest’s experience.
“Our customers are looking for creative ways to improve the guest experience and generate more revenue,” said Lavelle. “We view each hotel as having the capacity to run a Watchit private video network. The private video network of the future will give the hotel the ability and flexibility to include its own advertising and program content with highly profiled custom television programming like WCN.”
In addition to its private network convention coverage, Watchit also announced the introduction of FINDIT, its fully indexed digital convention floor plan and map guide. FINDIT provides convention attendees with a new computerised tool to facilitate the process of viewing exhibitor products and services, identifying those of greatest interest and mapping the clearest path getting the most out of the convention experience. FINDIT can be accessed by the convention attendee via the Internet on their computer or PDA and is also available on DVD.
“FINDIT represents the first demonstration of our ability to take advantage of the convergence of Internet, video media and wireless technology to improve the way things are done. And the applications for this convergence are just beginning to be revealed,” said Lavelle.
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.
