News Broadcasting
Fox strips ‘Skin’ from schedule
LOS ANGELES: For weeks, Fox used every opportunity during the network’s high-rated playoff broadcasts to relentlessly plug the new Jerry Bruckheimer drama Skin.
On 4 November Skin fell victim to too much hype and not enough viewers, becoming the first new drama of the season to earn an outright cancellation.
Skin only aired three times since its launch on 21 October in the midst of the World Series. On that night, which also saw a less-than-impressive premiere for The Next Joe Millionaire, Skin attracted 6.3 million viewers. It was down to fewer than 5.1 million viewers in its second airing and fewer than 4.1 million by its final airing on 3 November.
Originally, Fox intended to re-air the early episodes of Skin in an effort to build an audience over time, a strategy that paid off with late-summer hit The O.C. The network abandoned that plan after only a week, opting to encore the season premiere of 24 instead last week.
For the next three Mondays, Fox will show a second original episode of The Next Joe Millionaire at 9 pm. Those episodes were supposed to run on Tuesdays during sweeps as a lead-in to 24, but after last week’s dismal showing, the Tuesday 8 pm slot will be filled with a variety of repeats for the rest of the month.
In the place of Thursday night’s scheduled 9 pm re-airing of Skin, Fox will encore The O.C.. This, coincidentally, was where Fox had hoped to move the series for the fall, before moving it to Wednesday nights.
To say that Fox’s schedule is pretty liquid at this point would be an understatement. Following the sweeps period, Fox will have a number of empty places in the schedule. The network has midseason replacements like Wonderfalls and Still Life waiting in the wings. With Luis already pushing up daisies, this gives Fox the unfortunate distinction of being the first network to cancel both a new comedy and a new drama. The network also has several other under performing new offerings which could soon be tempting the Fox reapers.
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.
