News Broadcasting
BBC’s podcasting activity gathering steam in the UK
MUMBAI: The BBC’s attempts at using the Internet as an alternative means of delivering content to its viewers in the UK is gathering steam. The broadcaster has announced that it will podcast up to 20 more radio shows – including sections of the Today programme and selected Radio 1 speech content – as it extends its download trial.
BBC Radio and Music Interactive controller Simon Nelson revealed that more programmes will be available to download and podcast at bbc.co.uk/radio until the end of the year. This follows the popularity of the BBC’s previous downloading trial.
Podcasting is an extension of downloading, whereby listeners can have new programmes automatically delivered to their computer as soon as they are posted on the Web. Listeners download an application (such as iPodder) that checks the Web to find the new version of tagged audio files – such as In Our Time – the listener has selected.
Nelson says, “These technologies can transform the value we deliver to audiences and make our programmes more accessible for both new and existing audiences. The BBC was the first British broadcaster to podcast when we made In Our Time available last year and this trial will enable us to further explore the editorial, technical and distribution issues involved.”
The BBC is hoping that the project will offer a more detailed picture of audiences’ appetite for downloads and their preferred content. Moreover, the time-limited trial has been set up to better inform the development of the BBC strategy for audio downloads and on-demand content, which Nelson is leading across the BBC.
The trial means the BBC will offer its first daily podcasts – the Today programme’s 8.10am interview – along with weekly titles and speech highlights from Radio 1 programmes for listeners to download and transfer to portable audio players.
The programmes confirmed so far for podcasting include In Business. Anchor Peter Day examines trends and developments in industry and the world of work. Another show From Our Own Correspondent delivers personal reflections by BBC correspondents around the world. On the show In Our Time the host Melvyn Bragg and guests explore the history of ideas.
The BBC will also include a series of radio programmes in its next trial of the Interactive Media Player (iMP). This trial will offer rights-protected, time-limited downloads of both TV and radio programmes. The imp aims to offer UK residents a TV and radio catch-up service for programmes that have been broadcast, as part of the BBC’s drive to use new technology to offer even greater public value to licence fee payers.
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.
