News Broadcasting
CNN is most watched international news brand in APAC: Ipsos Survey
MUMBAI: Newscaster CNN has maintained its number one position as an international news brand in Asia Pacific, according to the latest Ipsos Affluent Survey.
The channel reaches to 34 per cent upscale consumers and 53 per cent to the C-level executives every month. The independent survey also reveals significant audience growth for CNN on both its TV and digital platforms.
On TV, CNN is the most watched international news brand in Asia-Pacific in daily, weekly and monthly reach. As per the survey, the channel has 47 per cent more viewers each month than the next placed news channel and 125 per cent more viewers than the leading business and finance news channel.
The survey further reveals that in digital, CNN’s monthly reach is 51 per cent higher than the next largest brand. CNN’s lead is even more clear-cut in key target groups with an 80 per cent advantage with top management and 64 per cent with business decision makers.
CNN also recorded substantial growth in TV and digital consumption. In TV, there was strong growth in daily (+13 per cent), weekly (+11 per cent) and monthly (+six per cent) audience numbers. These numbers surge when it comes to International travellers (+49 per cent weekly) and luxury spenders (+29 per cent weekly).
In digital, the monthly digital reach increased by 11 per cent and was most significant in the key target groups of international business travellers (+72 per cent) and international leisure travellers (+57 per cent).
Even in India, CNN is the number one international news brand for top management with a 39 per cent lead in multiplatform reach over BBC. On TV, CNN reaches twice as many top management viewers on a daily basis and 41 per cent more on a monthly basis than BBC World News. Among India’s affluent audience, CNN is yet again the international news leader as a multi-platform brand reaching more than one-in-five upscale consumers (22 per cent). On TV, CNN is the most watched international news brand reaching 16 per cent more viewers each month than BBC World News.
The lead continues on digital platform as CNN reaches 42 per cent more audiences than BBC each month. CNN also recorded substantial growth in audience numbers across all platforms including multi-platform (+28 per cent), digital (5.1 times) and TV in weekly (+35 per cent) and monthly (+24 per cent).
CNN International Asia Pacific vice president advertising sales Sunita Rajan said, “This is a spectacular result for CNN and a testament to the commitment we made to our audience – to provide first-class content across multiple platforms. Our audience’s appetite for global news and staying connected has never been greater. In response, we’ve boosted our resources across television and made major investments in digital including an integrated newsroom, designing a new responsive website and creating a slate of new dedicated digital content. These survey results show unequivocally that CNN is the number one international news brand and the first choice for affluent consumers.”
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.
