News Broadcasting
Murdoch ‘Outfoxed’ by doc accusing Fox of slanting news
MUMBAI: It is not just Michael Moore’s Bush bashing documentary Farenheit 9/11 that is stirring controversy. Rupert Murdoch is understandably less than pleased with a new documentary.
Outfoxed, which recently released on DVD and VHS in the US, criticises Fox News for allegedly slanting its news.
Outfoxed is being promoted by the liberal advocacy group MoveOn and has been directed by Robert Greenwald. The documentary takes potshots at Fox News’ claim of being a fair and balanced network. Greenwald has reportedly offered Fox the opportunity to air his film for free. Greenwald also made The Crooked E: The Unshredded Truth about Enron, which aired recently in India on Hallmark.
Greenwald has been quoted in the US media as saying, “We examine how media empires, led by Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News, have been running a ‘race to the bottom’ in television news. This film provides an in-depth look at Fox News and the dangers of ever-enlarging corporations taking control of the public’s right to know.”
The film explores Murdoch’s burgeoning kingdom and the impact on society when a broad swathe of media is controlled by one person. Media experts, including veteran anchor Walter Cronkite, Jeff Cohen (Fair) Bob McChesney (Free Press), Chellie Pingree (Common Cause), Jeff Chester (Center for Digital Democracy) and David Brock (Media Matters) provide context and guidance for the story of Fox News and its effect on society.
Fox offered a strong rebuttal to the documentary at a press conference in New York. The Murdoch-owned broadcaster also launched a full-frontal attack on The New York Times, which had published an article on 11 July about the movie.
Fox News issued a statement claiming illegal copyright infringement actions on the part of of moveon.org in cooperation with The New York Times. This included cutting a deal not to give Fox News adequate time to react to the film. Fox went on to accuse the NYT of corrupting the journalistic process.
The documentary allegedly reveals the secrets of former Fox News producers, reporters, bookers and writers who expose what it’s like to work for Fox News. These former Fox employees talk about how they were forced to push a “right-wing” point of view or risk their jobs.
Some have even chosen to remain anonymous in order to protect their current livelihoods. As one employee said “There’s no sense of integrity as far as having a line that can’t be crossed.”
Coming back to the NYT issue, the publication had quoted from internal memos sent to Fox staffers by a senior vice-president. They seemed to illustrate a conservative bias. While Fox said that they had been given just one day to respond before publication of the article, the NYT claimed that a three-day notification had been issued.
As far as the employees who appear on the film are concerned, Fox referred to them as being in the low level category, adding that some left due to incompetence. Moreover, none of them had expressed differences about the editorial policy of the broadcaster.
In an interview to iwantmedia.com Greenwald added, “The goal of my film was to tell a story that we haven’t seen told in film before. We used Fox News’ own words, images and sound bites. I used the material that Fox News sends out to the US every day to make the case that they are a biased network.”
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.
