News Broadcasting
Cable trade urges broadcasters to ‘educate’ viewer
MUMBAI: The Indian Cable Operators and Broadcasters Federation (ICOBF) representing the distributors/MSOs (multi system operators) and the Mumbai Cable Operators’ Federation (MCOF) representing the last mile operators, have urged broadcasters to flash scrawlers on the channels indicating the prices of the various channels within the bouquets.
ICOBF spokesperson Suvarn G Amonkar says: “Our intention was to educate the majority of consumers who were not aware of the fact that the Zee, Star, Sony and MEN bouquets had several channels in addition to the mainstream mass entertainment channels. We have also urged the broadcasters to continuously flash information related to the individual bouquet prices. I believe that Zee TV has been doing so but we want the others to also carry scrawlers.”
It is reliably learnt that the ICOBF has managed to get an okay in principle from several broadcasters who have agreed to flash on-screen messages on their channels informing viewers to cooperate with their cable operators. The ICOBF was formed one year ago and has been engaged in a continuous dialogue with broadcasters and the last mile operators (LMOs).
The representatives of both the federations (ICOBF and MCOF) claim that the 24-hour shutdown (midnight of Thursday, 20 February 2003 to midnight of Friday, 21 February 2003) of all pay channels was a successful exercise in creating public awareness.
Ever since politicians and consumer activists have coined their “Rs 150 per month” mantra, cable operators have been unable to collect money from the consumers. Industry sources confirm that the collections in the first two months of 2003 had plunged to abysmal levels. This had forced the MSOs and distributors to take action as they would have to pay the broadcasters from their own pockets.
At a meeting held recently in Mumbai’s western suburb Kandivali, the eight-member committee of the ICOBF informed broadcasters’ representatives that they would go ahead with the move of educating the consumers and solicited their support. This task force informed the various cable operators’ associations about their decision to go ahead with the blankout.
InMumbai Network’s senior VP Manoj Motwani adds: “The blackout wasn’t an act of rebellion against the broadcasters but a move which was conducted with their support and co-operation. Customers refuse to pay up and refer to the half-truth campaign initiated by the politicians and consumer activists. But the pay channels and broadcasters expect us (MSOs) to pay them at the end of every month.”
MCOF member Dinesh Devadia laments: “The adamant attitude of the consumers will spell doom for the small cable operators. We have to compulsorily collect and pay the MSOs at the end of every month. Several consumers from the lower strata of society refuse to pay us and collections have been bad.”
Sony CEO and Indian Broadcasting Federation VP Kunal Dasgupta was quoted in The Times of India as saying that consumers need to understand that they need to pay for pay channels. Dasgupta adds that all cable and satellite channels anywhere in the world are pay channels in one form or the other.
Dasgupta also mentioned that broadcasters cannot recover programming costs through advertising recovers and have to resort to extra subscription fee from subscribers.
However, there is a lot of uncertainty prevailing in the trade about the future – especially the 14 July deadline for the roll out of conditional access system (CAS).
“We have started the process of education and we feel that we have taken the first step in the direction. The consumers will be in a better state to understand the implications of CAS once the implementation starts,” says InMumbai’s Motwani.
ICOBF’s Amonkar says: “We are still unclear about the individual prices of pay channels. We are also awaiting guidelines from the I&B ministry. Our maintenance charges work out to Rs 60 per month and if the free-to-air channels are priced (by the government) at Rs 50, then the total monthly charges could reduce to sub-Rs 150 levels after incorporating the taxes. The small cable operators would hardly earn anything but at least there wouldn’t be any collection hassles.”
MCOF members however, disagree with this and claim that the maintenance charges are around Rs 75 per month and it will be difficult to charge less than Rs 150 per month.
MCOF’s Devadia further says that it will be very difficult to convince the slum-dwellers in Mumbai to purchase a set-top-box (STB). Well, only time will tell!
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.
