News Broadcasting
IBF member suggests separate panels for pay, FTA channels
NEW DELHI: Pay broadcasters who are members of Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) want that the organization should have separate panels for free to air channels and pay channels in order to avoid lack of consensus on controversial issues like conditional access and the proposed limitation of advertising time on pay channels
This is one of the compromise formulae that is being touted in the wake of differences in the business interests of pay and FTA channels. It is seen as a practical way to allow the IBF to be able to fairly represent the interests of both pay and FTA broadcasters. The matter came to the fore last year with a show cause notice being issued to a representative of an FTA channel for taking a stand different from that of the collective wisdom of the IBF.
A broadcaster-member of the IBF, which controls some of the most paying pay channels in India and has also been described as the biggest media company in India at various points of time, is understood to have written to the IBF secretariat on the need to have panels with separate agendas for various type of broadcasters operating in India.
It has been pointed out by a senior representative of this broadcasting organization that on some key issues, the viewpoint of pay and FTA channels are unlikely to match. Hence, there should be two panels or sub-committees in the IBF looking after the interest of these broadcasters separately.
It has also been suggested that when representations and submissions are made to the government and the sector regulator, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), these two separate panels would be useful in putting across the respective viewpoints more forcefully without attempting to seek an across the board consensus, which is seldom achieved or when achieved, the arguments get diluted.
However, it is not clear to indiantelevision.com at this point of time whether this issue is likely to be discussed in a board meeting of the IBF, slated to be held on 10 August, a day when the board of Prasar Bharati, too, is meeting to take up some important issues. Though not directly related, it may be worth noting that a finance panel of the Board of Control for Cricket in India will also be holding its own meeting on 10 August.
The member of the IBF that has mooted the proposal of having two separate sub-panels within the IBF has also argued that it is necessary to have such a set-up as, for example, it would be difficult to slot some of the members like Indian pubcaster Doordarshan. Is DD a pay broadcaster or a free to air one?
Questions like these have started haunting the IBF because of conflicting business interests of broadcasters.
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.
