News Broadcasting
Republic TV has 51.9% viewership in debut week: BARC gives data to paid subs despite NBA’s request
MUMBAI/BENGALURU: It’s a coup of sorts. The leader in the English news genre has been surprised by the newcomer — Republic TV. According to BARC India viewership data for week 19, Republic TV has got 2117 weekly impressions and Times Now lags with 1148. NDTV 24×7 (352), India Today Television (350) and CNN News18 (315) have respectively bagged the third, fourth and fifth positions.
The controversy-ridden Arnab Goswami-headed English News channel claims on its channel a 52 percent viewership in the very first week of operations which started on 6 May 2017 – this would be Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) week 19 (Saturday, 6 May 2017 to Friday 12 May 2017). The channel started mentioning this news around 11am today. BARC in normal course gives data to paid subcribers at 11am. It has done it is this time too despite NBA’s caution.
The channel says that the English News genre leader until week 18, Times Now could garner only 25 percent viewership. Comparative numbers for other channels mentioned by Republic TV are: CNN News 18 and NDTV 24 X 7 – 7 percent each and India Today Television 8 percent.
As reported by us earlier, the News Broadcaster Association (NBA) had written to BARC on 17 May urging it not to release Republic TV’s viewership data until Republic TV completely stopped the NBA alleged malpractice of being on multiple LCNs’/genres on several DPOs’ and MSOs’.
The channel has been running a special show – at the time of writing – on which it celebrated its leadership position, bringing in its representatives of its 14-odd news partners who could not praise Arnab, his style of journalism, and his achievement enough. As well as journalists, editors from its team in different parts of the country. Most of them talked about the fact that the channel was put together in a matter of three to five months, and that its pole position was attained in English news in just its first week. And they also patted each other on their back for the stories that the channel has been reporting on for the past 10-11 days.
“They have raised him to demi-god status,” says a media observer. “Or maybe God status. What will the establishment do now? And what will Arnab and his team do?”
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.
