News Broadcasting
Television Media Segment leads NDTV’s loss in Q2-2015
MUMBAI: Announcing the current quarter results (Q2-2014), news broadcaster NDTV reported a net loss of Rs 26.89 crore. The loss for the company for the quarter had widened from Rs 1.49 crore in the preceding quarter (Q1-2014) and Rs 15.26 crore in the corresponding quarter last year (Q2-2013).
But the loss before tax for the HY-2014 has decreased to Rs 26.05 crore from Rs 33.56 crore in HY-2013.
The loss for the company for this current quarter is led by its television media and related operations segment. The segment reported a loss of Rs 15.22 crore in Q2-2014 as compared to a profit of Rs 7.95 crore in Q1-2014 and loss of Rs 1.98 crore in Q2-2013. Half yearly, the segment also reported a decline in loss. In HY-2014 (first half of 2014), the loss for the segment was reported as Rs 7.27 crore as compared to Rs 19.38 crore in the first half last year (HY-2013).
In the current quarter, the company also reported a fall in its Total Income from Operations (TIO) on a q-o-q basis contributing to its widening loss in the current quarter. TIO in Q2-2014 was Rs 110.38 crore, 25.12 per cent less than Rs 147.42 crore in the last quarter while the company reported a 3.9 per cent rise in its TIO at Rs 106.19 crore on a y-o-y basis.
In H1-2014, NDTV’s TIO at Rs 257.80 crore was 23.5 per cent more than Rs 208.59 crore in HY-2013, explaining the contraction in the HY-2014 loss.
The revenue on television media and related operations segment decreased 24.4 per cent q-o-q, from Rs 143.96 crore in Q1-2014 to Rs 108.83 crore in Q2-2014, another factor in the widening loss in Q2-2014. The revenue for the segment was almost flat (1.3 percent rise) at Rs 1.7.42 crore in Q2-2013.
In HY-2014 the revenue for the segment at Rs 252.79 crore was 20.37 per cent more than Rs 210.01 crore in HY-2013, another element in the reduction in the HY-2014 loss while the Q2-2014 loss had expanded.
Total expenses for the company in Q2-2014 was reported at Rs 132.43 crore, 10.6 per cent less than the Rs 148.18 crore in Q1-2014 and 2.3 per cent lower than Rs 135.58 crore in Q2-2013.
NDTV’s production expenses decreased 40.9 per cent from Rs 36.67 crore in Q1-2014 to Rs 21.64 crore in Q2-2014 and 5.2 percent from Rs 22.84 crore in Q2-2013.
According to the company statement, NDTV Convergence showed revenue growth of 22% in this quarter and a growth of 34% for H1-2014 on a y-o-y basis.
Also, NDTV Profit / Prime achieved a major turnaround by turning EBITDA positive in Q2 FY15, within six months of its re-launch, added the statement.
The company also announced on BSE that the board had ‘mandated the management to focus’ on the following: accelerate growth in core business; fix, restructure or sell non-core businesses; further invest in online assets to accelerate the Company’s leadership position to benefit from the digital revolution and explore all options to unlock and maximise shareholders’ value.
“NDTV’s losses are lower in the first half of this year than in the previous year and are narrowing down over time. A major step forward is that NDTV Profit / Prime was EBITDA positive this quarter (this is after making losses of Rs 40+ crore last year and losses in earlier years too). This will help the company to move towards profitability. Further, profitability can also be achieved by restructuring of businesses or selling of loss-making units while ensuring a hard focus on the core business,” said the company in a statement.
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.
