MAM
Indians not avid TV watchers, instead hook to books: NOP World
MUMBAI: This is what could be termed a real opportunity for television programming honchos. Indians on an average spend a lowly 13.3 hours a week in front of the idiot box, well below the global average of 16.6 hours.
These and other findings form part of the “Culture Score Media Habits Index”, published by NOP World, a leading supplier of syndicated and custom research. The Media Habits Index offers a global perspective on the time consumers report watching television, listening to the radio, searching the Internet and reading. The survey ranked the world’s Top 30 media consuming nations.
Coming back to the television consumption, it is Thailand that takes the cake in this regard as people there spend a whopping 22.4 hours a week watching television. Interestingly, three Asian countries figure in the top five on the survey. The other countries that make it to the top rung are Philippines (2nd, 21 hours); Egypt (3rd, 20.9 hours), “almost Asian” country Turkey (4th, 20.2 hours) and Indonesia (5th, 19.7 hours).
Globally, individuals spend 8 hours listening to the radio, 6.5 hours reading and 8.9 hours on computers/the Internet (for non-work related reasons) on average each week.
It is interesting to note that consumers in the US and UK are below the global average (5.7 and 5.3 hours per week respectively) when it comes to reading, but significantly above the average on TV viewing (19 hours per week in the US and 18 in the UK), listening to the radio (10.2 hours per week in the US and 10.5 in the UK) and just slightly below the global average for computer/Internet usage (8.8 hours per week in both the US and UK).
India may not be a heavy TV watching country, but a book loving country it sure is! India surpasses every other country as far as time spent on reading is concerned. On an average, an Indian spends 10.7 hours reading in a week. Close behind India is Thailand, where people spend an average of 9.4 hours in a week in reading. At 3.1, 4.1 and 5 hours respectively, individuals in Korea, Japan and Taiwan fall to the bottom of the reading list.
Among the ones that can be called ‘Radio Nations’ are Argentina, where people spend the most time (20.8 hours per week) listening to the radio, followed by Brazil (17.2 hours) and South Africa (15 hours). Indians on an average spend 4.1 hours per week listening to the radio. Consumers in China spend the least amount of time listening to the radio at only 2.1 hours a week.
On the other hand, people in Taiwan spend most of their time on the computer / Internet (12.6 hours) in a week for non-work related purposes. Next in line are consumers in Thailand (11.7) and Spain (11.5) hours. Indians spend close to 7.9 hours on an average in a week in front of the computer. People in Mexico (6.3 hours), Italy (6.3 hours) and Germany (6.4 hours) spend the least amount of time on computers/Internet.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
