News Broadcasting
RBNL’s radio business continues profitable run in Q1-2014
BENGALURU: Note: The profit/loss figures mentioned collectively or for each segment in this report are profits before tax and interest (PBIT), unless stated otherwise.
Reliance Broadcast Network Limited (RBNL) radio business which first returned a profit in Q3-2013 of Rs 3.36 crore, followed by a profit of Rs 8.06 crore in Q4-2013 continued its profitable run with positive figures of Rs 8.71 crore for Q1-2014.
On a consolidated basis, RBNL reported a loss of Rs 15.76 crore for Q1-2014, about 55 per cent of the loss of Rs 28.705 crore loss during Q1-2013 and about 65.25 per cent of the Rs 24.154 crore loss reported for Q4-2013. RBNL reported a loss of Rs 91.73 crore for FY-2013.
RBNL CFO Asheesh Chatterjee informed www.indiantelevision.com, “RBNL achieved cash break-even at consolidated level and remains PAT positive at standalone basis in Q1-2014.
Radio business reported 31 per cent y-o-y growth in revenue and EBITDA of Rs 17.4 crore. TV business sustained leadership reporting 37 per cent y-o-y revenue growth.”
Overall
Q1-2014 consolidated total income of Rs 61.1 crore; increase of 26 per cent y-o-y
Q1-2014 consolidated EBITDA at Rs 0.9 crore – achieves break even.
Q1-2014 consolidated EBIT was Rs (9.8 crore)
Q1-2014 standalone total income of Rs 58.5 crore; increase of 18 per cent y-o-y
Q1-2014 standalone EBITDA at Rs 19 crore; increase of 382 per cent y-o-y.
Q1-2014 standalone EBIT at Rs 8.8 crore; increase of 264 per cent y-o-y
Q1-2014 standalone PAT at Rs 2.1 crore; increase of 112 per cent y-o-y.
Let us look at RBNL’s figures from various segments in Q1-2014
Radio
Revenue from radio contributed a major chunk – Rs 47.27 crore or about 73.26 per cent of RBNL’s total revenue of Rs 64.53 crore and 76 per cent of Income from operations at Rs 62.19 crore during Q4-2014.
Revenue from radio in Q1-2014 at Rs 47.27 crore grew 31.3 per cent as compared to the Rs 36.01 crore for Q1-2013 and grew 2.6 per cent as compared to the revenue of Rs 46.09 crore for Q4-2013.
Q1-2014 radio standalone EBITDA at Rs 17.4 crore as against EBITDA of Rs 7.8 crore in Q1-2013; increase of 122 per cent y-o-y
Q1-2014 radio standalone EBIT at Rs 8.7 crore as against EBIT of Rs (-1.0) crore in Q1-2013.
TV Production
TV Production, with a standalone revenue of Rs 5.90 crore, contributed 9.5 per cent to Income from operations during Q4-2014. Revenue from production in Q1-2014 grew by 11.8 per cent as compared to the revenue of Rs 5.28 crore in Q1-2013 and 29.24 per cent as compared to the revenue of Rs 4.57 crore in Q4-2013. Production suffered a loss in Q4-2014 of Rs 0.423 crore as compared to a profit of Rs 0.1059 crore in Q1-2013, but 16.11 per cent lower than the loss of Rs 0.504 crore reported for Q4-2013.
Standalone EBDITA for Q1-2014 from this segment was Rs (-0.3) crore in Q1-2014 as compared to the EBDITA of Rs0.2 crore in Q1-2013 and Rs (-0.3) crore in Q4-2014.
OOH
Revenue from outdoor at Rs 1.995 crore in Q1-2014 was almost one third (34.5 per cent) of the revenue of Rs 5.99 crore in Q1-2013 and just 30.6 per cent of the Rs 6.303 crore in Q4-2013. Loss from this revenue segment in Q1-2014 was significantly lower (by 12.4 times) at Rs 0.1758 crore as compared to the loss of Rs 2.182 crore in Q1-2013. Outdoor returned a profit of Rs 0.1407 crore for Q4-2013.
Standalone EBITDA from this segment was a positive Rs 1.2 crore during Q1-2014 as compared to a loss of Rs 1.8 crore in Q1-2013 and Rs 0.7 crore during Q4-2013
Televison.
Consolidated revenue of Rs 8.44 crore from television contributed 13.6 per cent of total revenue for Q1-2014. Revenue from this segment grew at 36.9 per ecent as compared to the Rs 6.16 crore reported for Q1-2013 and just half a per cent as compared to the Rs 8.39 crore for Q4-2013. Consolidated loss from television in Q1-2014 at Rs 18.06 crore was 54.4 per cent higher than the loss of 11.69 crore for Q1-2013, but was significantly lower by 32 per cent as compared to the Rs 26.54 crore loss for Q4-2013.
RBNL CEO Tarun Katial said, “Reliance Broadcast Network has delivered a robust performance, breaking even at the operating level. Radio has delivered the highest ever Q1 performance, fortifying its position as the leading national network and both key businesses of radio and television are primed to benefit from government reforms.”
RBNL says that its flagship general entertainment channel Big Magic which emerged a leader in the Hindi heartland, has steadily expanded distribution across the Hindi speaking markets of India, benefiting from phase II of television digitisation. Its ays that TRAI’s mandate to regulate advertisement inventory to 10 minutes per clock hour will translate into more equitable distribution of advertisement inventory across channels, resulting in increased advertisement flow to both radio and emerging channels like Big Magic, Big CBS and Big RTL Thrill.
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.
