News Broadcasting
NBF’s emergence signals turf war in India’s news broadcast business
MUMBAI: India’s often noisy and always cut-throat news broadcasting business is headed for interesting times. Current challenges facing the sector aside, Thursday made matters more complex with the birth of a new industry body in the form of News Broadcasters Federation (NBF).
The NBF claims to be the largest-ever such grouping with over 50 news channels under its umbrella and a true representative of the diversity of news broadcasting in the country.
In a sense, it is positioning itself as an alternative to the News Broadcasters Association (NBA), which critics describe as an elite club that is mostly receptive to concerns of news broadcasters headquartered in the national capital.
Following NBF’s announcement, an NBA delegation of chairman Rajat Sharma (India TV), NBA secretary general Annie Joseph, honorary treasurer Anurradha Prasad (News24 Broadcast India), Rahul Joshi (TV18 Broadcast), Avinash Pandey (ABP News Network), Kalli Purie (TV Today Network) and Sonia Singh (NDTV) met the Minister for Information and Broadcasting (MIB) Prakash Javadekar.
The NBA presently has 27 news and current affairs broadcasters (comprising 70 news and current affairs channels) as its members and describes itself as a unified and credible voice before the government on matters that affect the growing industry.
The setting up of a parallel body though will have several implications for the ecosystem. For starters, it can deliver a blow to the broadcasting industry’s demand for recognition of the self-regulatory codes of Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) and News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) for non-news and news channels respectively. While MIB has expressed satisfaction with the performance of BCCC during several interactions with stakeholders, it has found that NBSA lacks vision and discipline, often not meeting its own standards. With the setting up of NBF, the task of getting the ministry to recognise NBSA code of NBA will only get tougher.
“The NBF has at least 10 such news channels which do not have licence but have entered into structures with other companies to lease channel licences which is illegal,” said a senior news broadcasting executive who did not wish to be identified.
This list includes the likes of Living India News, Khabar Fast, IND24, A1 TV, National Voice, and Nirman News among others. Critics of the NBF also highlight the fact that it houses some channels that are part of the non-news category like MK Television, Ayush TV among others.
Indiantelevision.com reached out to some of the founding members of the NBF. They, however, were not available for comment.
The NBF is now in the process of accepting new members and will soon interact with relevant industry and regulatory bodies. With Javadekar terming the formation of NBF as a “very positive development”, its next move – forming the governing board – will be closely watched.
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.
