News Broadcasting
India’s Network18 Standardizes on Grass Valley’s iTX Playout to Leverage Agile, Future-ready Operations
MUMBAI: Network18, one of India's largestmedia groups, has deployed Grass Valley'shighly flexible and scalable iTX integrated playout platformto underpin the transition to a standardized playout model across all its facilities. The solution was chosen for itsprovenfuture-proof features, andenables the Mumbai-based company to manage and operate multiple playout channels – across multiple platforms – with greater scalability, flexibility and efficiency.
Network18 operates a large mix of news and entertainment channelsin addition to multiple digital products of the biggest names in media, such as News18 Network, CNBC-TV18, CNN News18, Colors, MTV,Moneycontrol, Firstpost and Forbes India. To meet the needs of thefast changing and rapidly growing market, the organization needed an agile solution capable of handling large-scale integrated playout and over 25 formats and resolutions natively, from SD to 4K UHD, managing content natively as SDI baseband as well as IP, without additional transcoding. Grass Valley's iTX solutionis a highlyadvanced, integrated playout platform for broadcast television, deliveringIP/SDI flexibility and scalability for future readiness, along with end-to-end workflow tools for greater process automation and lower OPEX.
Rajat Nigam, Group Chief Technology officer, Network18 commented: "We at Network18constantly explore and evaluate newer technologies and solutions aligned with our business objective of value leadership. We look towards standardizing the technologies across our group and implement cost-effective solutions and workflows to meet the demand for real-time access to news and entertainment, anywhere, on any device, in the fast emerging digital world. Our system design has always adhered to the fundamental principles of flexibility, reliability and versatility that enables us to easilyadd more channels, deliver services to online and social platforms or support 4K UHDTV content compatible with today’s multi-platform distribution environment. Working with a technical partner that can provide the tools and expertise to meet these demands and deliver the flexibility, scalability and future-proofing we need to evolve our business is critical to getting the system that is right for us. Based on techno-commercial in-depth evaluation, we made the choice for the iTX system from Grass Valley.”
Grass Valley's iTX platform delivers anintuitive multipurpose operator interface that provides end-to-end workflow tools, such as file and lines ingest, asset management and preview functions. The Network 18 team gains all the functionality needed, from high-end graphics to subtitling, SCTE, and voice over (VO),in one flexible platform.Network18 also deployed GV IONstorage that ensures reliability across applications fromplayout tonews production.
Farzin Najmi, vice president, broadcast technology and operations, CNBC-TV18 added: "In a rapidly evolving market, tools that are robust, easy to deploy, intuitive and future-ready are essential to staying ahead of the curve.Working with partners that have the right expertise and technical know-how, both during integration phase and post commissioning support, is also critical, and we look forward to a long-term partnership of Network18 and Grass Valley."
Network18 has already gone live with more than 36channels with iTX, with full migration slated for completion by the end of 2020. This is part of a facility consolidation as all locations pan-India will be brought to a central location having standardized technology solution using iTX.
“Broadcasters increasingly have to address a wide range of digital OTT platforms in addition to traditional linear services,” said Somu Patil, vice president of sales, APAC, Grass Valley. “Our iTX solution is a workhorse for large-scale integrated playout, encompassing file/live IP/SDI playout, captioning/subtitling, audio processing and graphics branding. The system also enables Network18 to deliver services across multiple platforms without the need for separate encoding. We are proud to have expanded our partnership with Network18 and to help the company meet its business needs today and in the future.”
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.
