News Broadcasting
Star drops rates – but the riders are crucial
MUMBAI: Star India may have announced a 25 per cent drop in subscription rates per subscriber from the current Rs 40 to Rs 30, but cable operators are not exactly euphoric. The reason: The new pricing is only applicable to those who show a 100 per cent or more increase in declarations.
When Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea had spoken to indiantelevision.com last week regarding the plan to actually lower rates, the point that he made was that Star was willing to reduce its rates but expected the cable operators to reciprocate as far as declarations were concerned.
What Star has instituted is a slab system, a detailed examination of which shows in more cases than not, rather than reducing rates, the lead broadcaster has held the price line at current levels. However, it has managed public perceptions in such a way (by declaring a drop in rates) that it may actually be able to increase revenues from the ground. Which has been its declared aim all along.
As mentioned, it is only where there is an increase of a minimum of 100 per cent in declarations under which this rate is applicable. For example, if a cable operator is currently declaring 3,000 subscribers in a particular area, he will have to increase declarations to at least 6,000. However, the operator will have to pay at the current Rs 40 if declarations go up by 50 per cent or less.
According to information available with indiantelevision.com, Star’s pricing has been linked to declaration under the following slab system:
*If the cable op increases existing declaration of subscriber base by 100 per cent, then Star bouquet will come at Rs 30/month/subscriber.
*If the declaration is increased by 85 per cent, then the price is Rs 33.
*If the declaration is increased by 60 per cent, then Rs 39.
*If declaration is increased by 50 per cent or less, then the price remains the same at Rs 40.
A closer look at the above rate structure points to one fact. That there will be few takers among cable operators for any of the new slabs except for an increase in connectivity of 50 per cent and lower.
This is because the cable operator who ups connectivity by 100 per cent for example would actually end up having a significantly higher outgo than one increasing his paid connectivity by anything less than 50 per cent. This needs further elucidation. It works thus:
An operator having 100 declared subscribers would have a Rs 4,000 (at Rs 40 per subscriber today) monthly outflow to Star. If he were to fall in line and actually increase his declaration by 100 per cent (to take advantage of the lower price of Rs 30 per sub), he does not really benefit as his payout for 200 subscribers would be Rs 6,000 at the lowered rates – 50 per cent increase in revenue outgoings. That means he would effectively be paying at Rs 60 per subscriber at current declaration levels.
Therefore, cutting through all the hyperbole surrounding this rather convoluted rate structure, what in actual fact has happened is that Star has by and large held its rates (as Mukerjea had first indicated to the media was the idea) with an almost guaranteed increase in declarations.
The question really is what is the possible scenario where an operator refuses to increase connectivity? Well, there is a good chance that for the recalcitrant lot, there might be switch-offs. Star’s public stance in this would probably be that it has called the bluff of the cable operators and shown how hollow is the line of argument that underdeclaration was a fallout of frequent and arbitrary subscription increases.
It’s not just to the public that this message will be going out. There is the government (read the I&B ministry), which is currently grappling with how to get the Conditional Access Bill through Parliament’s Rajya Sabha (Upper House).
At the end of the day though it is all about increasing declarations and in turn revenues from the ground. And if Star manages that successfully, it will make it that much more difficult for Sony Entertainment and Zee Telefilms to increase their own accruals. For Sony especially, the issue is extremely crucial as it has the cost paid for acquiring the ICC World Cup rights hanging over its head.
The fear among the cable trade is that Star’s move could be a googly that works against them in the long run. “Star is indexing prices against declarations to prod cable ops to declare more subs. Once they do so, Star will hold prices for the short to medium term. But don’t be surprised if in the not too distant future, Star TV actually starts demanding a higher per sub fee for the increased declarations as well,” says an industry observer.
“This will hit cable ops hard. It’s a clever, clever tactic…but the important question is will it work strategically in Star’s favour? Don’t be surprised if rival bouquets urge cable ops to go and finger Star and not fall in line with its plan.”
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.
