News Broadcasting
New NOTA survey of Intl. TV trends published
MUMBAI: During the 2002/2003 season there were 1 086 new programmes, almost as many as last year (1095). The broadcasters took more time to put in place their new season scheduling and they preferred to spread the launching of new programmes throughout the year.
These results are contained in a New On The Air (NOTA) survey International TV Trends – 2002-2003 Season Real TV Or Social Awareness TV? The report notes that the trend is to maximise the communication around the launching of the new shows all year long without radically changing the programme schedule that comes in later in the year. More and more channels have adopted this strategy.
Cautiousness and stability everywhere except in the US: Even though cautiousness and stability remain the key words for the new programme planning in most countries from the NOTA survey, the United States make an exception. 41.3 per cent of the new American programmes for this season have been presented to the viewers in September. Four countries from this survey recorded an increase in the launching of new programmes. The US reached a growth of 12 per cent bringing on a total revision of the network schedules.
France and Italy propose fewer novelties: The number of novelties on French and Italian TV decreased, even though it represents a large output per volume : interactive game shows such as Star Six or Tubissimo on M6, Essaye encore on Canal +, Operazione Trionfo on Italia 1 or even Destinazione San Remo on Rai 2. The broadcasters have chosen to enroll the introduction of their new programmes in a long term strategy.
Growing number of positive programmes: 9/11 generated an important production of positive programmes with multiple objectives : understanding our surroundings, supporting a good cause, being entertained in order to forget life pressure, improving ourselves and looking back remembering the good times.
Many special events have been built around stars supporting a good cause. Italy is a leader in this field with many shows on Rai 1. Un dono damore in prime time gathered stars in order to increase people awareness on organ donation. The players of a prestigious soccer club got together for the Juventus una squadra per amico in order to collect funds for the construction of a children hospitals extension.
In the same spirit, famous singers sang live in Con tutto il cuore to collect money for the inhabitants of Pristina, capital of Kosovo. Finally, Nel nome de cuore was a special show dedicated to the life of St Francis of Assisi and to fund collecting for a good cause.
Inspired by a heavy social and political environment, and also by the viewers need to be better informed, the channels studied by NOTA have thus chosen to air more accessible political and social awareness shows. At the initiative of channel Ned 1, the members of the new Dutch government were able to introduce themselves to their voters in Nieuwe Stuurlui. In the same style, campaigning candidates were confronted with an artist in Szenewechsel broadcast in Germany on ARD.
Entertainment shows are flowing: A rush of entertainment shows and in particular, the development of ‘comedy shows’ materialises the need of ‘escaping’. In Germany, three shows based on astonishing concepts were broadcast.
Ohne Worte on RTL is built on silent sketches. Rent a Pocher on Pro 7 is centred around the host Oliver Pocher who can be hired by the public in order to fulfill various tasks. In Alt & Durchgeknallt on Sat 1, seniors which are both protagonist and target of comic attacks, see their everyday life and problems being staged.
The reality television scene: Reality shows are durably installed in the schedules. In the UK on Channel 4, Operatunity sees 100 junior opera singers participating. The winner will get a major role in the London opera house. And in the US, on Fox, Mr Personality hosted by Monica Lewinski stages a woman having to choose her prince charming among 20 masked men.
Reality TV renews itself and the new programmes follow three different directions : talent quests, dating shows and shows casting celebrities. Among the last seasons successes were Joe Millionnaire on Fox in the US and Hotel Glamour on Tele 5 in Spain.
The wave of nostalgia catches up also the celebrities. Reborn in the USA broadcast on ITV in the UK is a reality soap in 8 episodes. Here English singers from the 1960s, 70s and 80s try to boost up their career throughout a US tour. The American public chooses two of the worst singers and the English viewers save one of them. The winner will sign up a contract with a label.
Finally, the active participation of celebrities reflects the duality between television show materialised by Reality TV and Scocial Awareness. The former includes La Isla de los Famosos broadcast on Antena 3 in Spain. At the other side of the spectrum you have social awareness programmes often based on solidarity. exmaples of this are Celebrity Boot Camp on Fox in the US, Comic Relief does Fame Academy on BBC 1 in the UK, Im a celebrity get me out of here airs on ITV in the UK and ABC in the US. Here celebrities are the corner stones.
Created in 1997, NOTA combines the expertise of Eurodata TV, the international database for television logs and audiences worldwide and IMCA, the audiovisual consultancy firm. Every year NOTA, tracks and monitors new shows worldwide, analyses and decodes trends in programming, production strategies and format circulation . Eurodata Tv which makes part of Mdiamtrie follows the audience performances programme by programme in 72 countries.
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.
