News Broadcasting
BBC DG Dyke replaces Murdoch at number one in MediaGuardian Top 100
MUMBAI: There is a shift in positions in the just released annual top 100 list of UK based publication MediaGuardian.
Last year, News Corp CEO Rupert Murdoch was numero uno, followed by BBC DG Greg Dyke. This year, they have switched places. The BBC has had a good year with its TV and radio channels enjoying critical and ratings success. It also launched new digital channels.
A new entrant in the top 10 is Ofcom’s chairman David Currie. Currie is in charge of the most powerful regulator the UK television, radio and telecommunications industries have ever seen. Due to be operational by the end of this year, the super-regulator replaces five existing bodies – the independent television commission, the broadcasting standards commission, the office of telecommunications, the radio communications agency and the radio authority. His priorities will include the rollout of broadband across the UK.
The television top ten sees the fairer sex break into the male bastion. There are three women. Sky Networks’ managing director Dawn Airey, independent producer Eileen Gallagher and BBC director of TV Jana Bennett have taken the seventh, eighth and ninth spots respectively in the TV line-up for 2003.
Reports indicate that Airey’s rise (from 33 in last year’s MediaGuardian 100 to 16) can be attributed to her move from Channel Five to Sky, where she has responsiblity for all the broadcaster’s non-sport services, including Sky One, Sky News and the movie networks. In the process, she has gone from overseeing a programming budget of around ?150m to nearer ?500m.
The MediaGuardian report states that Gallagher is this year’s biggest MediaGuardian 100 climber, rising 76 places to 17. This is in part due to her position as co-founder and managing director of indie producer Shed, which makes hit ITV dramas Bad Girls and Footballers’ Wives. Shed is in a good position to benefit from the government’s decision to force broadcasters to improve the terms on which they deal with independent producers.
The overall top ten list also sees a woman. News Corp’s The Sun’s editor Rebekah Wade is at number six. Murdoch appointed her to the position six months ago and media analysts say that she has brought the spark back into the publication which had previously been missing. Wade climbed up 47 places from last year. She is also the top performer among the under 40 crowd.
As far as journalistic ethics are concerned, Wade caused a commotion earlier this year saying that journalists were entitled to use bugging devices and other covert methods if there was a strong public interest in the story under investigation. The creator of publishing phenomenon Harry Potter author J K Rowling is a new entrant on the list. She comes in at number 50.
In terms of slipping down, WPP 8’s group CEO Sir Martin Sorrell’s fall by 40 places reflected another tough year in the ad market. As reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com he closed a deal to acquire Cordiant Communications. An interesting new entry is that of a blogger at number 94. Blogging came into its own after 9/11 and the Iraq conflict. The Baghdad Blogger wrote under the pseudonym Salam Pax. His story of how the war was affecting his family was read online everyday by 20,000 people.
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.
