News Broadcasting
‘Survivor Africa’ set to complete incident-free run in India
The third edition of the Survivor series, Survivor Africa on AXN, draws to a close next Friday.
And in what is becoming familiar terrain for the series, there have been some criticisms it has had to face. Not from India though but from the United States.
Survivor Africa will wind up on 18 January here with a two-hour special episode at 10 pm. A one hour show Survivor: Africa-Reunion will immediately follow the last episode. Survivor – Back to Africa – a round up episode – will be aired on 25 January between 10-11 pm, an official release says.
The current series started on 19 October last year, with 16 Americans descending on Kenya’s Shaba National Reserve. The Survivors strategised, back stabbed and connived against one another in a bid to make it to the final four who would vie for the grand prize of $1 million. The final episode will feature Lex, a marketing manager, Kim, a retired teacher, Tom, a goat farmer and Ethan, a professional soccer player, pitting their survival skills against one another.
One thing that has worked for Survivor Africa is the decision by AXN to air the third season of the reality show’s episodes a week after its telecast in the US to scan potentially objectionable content. After having burnt its fingers with the second season of the show, AXN did not want to take chances with its third season. To recap: After just four episodes of the season which was set in Australia, the channel was compelled to yank the show off the air in India as viewers – especially PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) – were uncomfortable with scenes depicting cruelty towards animals.
While it was smooth-sailing in India, Survivor Africa has however not passed muster in the US. The Ark Trust, which claims to be the only animal protection organization that monitors animal messages in the news and entertainment industry, has placed Survivor Africa in its annual top ten list of media shows with anti-animal messages.
The Ark Trust’s Foe-Paw Report has lambasted the shows that show contestants brutally knifing animals and eating raw animal parts as part of their coverage.
The report has the following unflattering comments to make about it. “America was shocked to see game show contestants brutally knife a young pig to death, with one of the killers triumphantly smearing the pig’s blood on his face.
Says former Broadway star, and founder and President of The Ark Trust Gretchen Wyler: “As the media ‘watchdog’ for animals, we must draw attention to negative messages that desensitize the public toward animal suffering. We are especially concerned by the growing trend among “reality” game shows to use animals in irresponsible scenarios for shock value.”
The Trust’s view of the remaining ‘top’ ten anti-animal shows are:
1. 48 Hours (CBS): Dan Rather sympathetically profiles the “heroes of the rodeo” for a full hour while somehow managing not to find a single spokesperson for the animal-protection point of view. Subjects are shown treating animals harshly and violently while Dan describes them as “tough,” with “old fashioned values.” Rather falls into the old trap of finding “heroism” in the forceful subjugation of animals.
2. If Moulin Rouge was a high point for 20th Century Fox then the gross film Freddy Got Fingered was surely a low point: Tom Green shows last year’s Foe-Paw for Road Trip was no fluke. He’s back, taking the objectification of animals to new lows with three revolting scenes (plus a “bonus” on DVD) showing he considers animals nothing but mechanical props for juvenile sight gags. For example, while driving, Green encounters a dead deer by the road. He slices the animal open, pulls out the guts, and dances around with the lifeless body on his head.
3. My Wife and Kids (ABC): The accidental death of a child’s hamster is played for laughs, followed by the dad lying to the child about the death, then proposing a surreptitious “replacement” of the animal. A primer on how not to address pet-death issues with children.
4. The View (ABC): For frequent features promoting fur, usually led by Star Jones. Their “fashion” segments have included sable and squirrel fur, as well as an alligator skin skirt.
5. Nissan Bullfight commercial: After Nissan’s ad glorifying bullfighting ignited worldwide protests, Nissan responded by placing an equally disturbing print version in the New York Times.
6. WXTB Radio : Shock Jock Bubba the Love Sponge: Just what was this radio station thinking when it allowed this DJ to brutally slaughter a boar in the station’s parking lot, and then to broadcast the sounds of the carnage on air?
7. Insomniac With Dave Attell (Comedy Central): This “comedy” television show consistently plays animal suffering and death for laughs, including a hunting trip to New Orleans (the killing is shown) and, in another episode, the audience gets to join Dave on a “fun” trip to a cockfight.
8. Iditarod (USA Network): With all the information available about the suffering of dogs forced to run this 1,150 mile marathon, including at least 117 dead dogs in the race’s 29-year history, the USA Network’s romantic glamorisation of the Iditarod and its mushers was painful to view.
9. Fear Factor (NBC): The reality game show entices six contestants to eat sheep eyes, which they jokingly munch as several live sheep mingle behind them. In another episode, contestants were required to lie down among rats, with rats apparently stressed and crushed in the process (AXN is scheduled to start showing the show a little later in the year).
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.
