News Broadcasting
The news must go on! How news channels work during lockdown
MUMBAI: A deft usage of virtual technology means is helping news broadcasters to stay afloat and produce the round-the-clock fresh content amid the spectre Covid2019 pandemic. Be it getting a live link from reporters or getting a guest for a live debate show, news channels have taken recourse to various video calling applications or broadcast-friendly video transmission software tools such as TVU and LiveU.
With TV production coming to a halt, news is the only genre that has been generating fresh content for viewers. It has also been placed under the essential services category by the government during the lockdown so as to inform and create awareness.
Tools like TUV indeed have come to the rescue of broadcasters in these unprecedented times.
The TVU Anywhere mobile app has seen a large increase in global use recently as TV reporters and anchors have migrated from traditional studios to reporting from living rooms, balconies and shared living spaces within their homes and apartments. The app's ease of use and fast set up – requiring just a download to the user’s mobile phone – allows anyone needing to do safe remote reporting to go live instantly.
TVU Anywhere can also be used remotely for non-live interview reporting. It’s PiP feature supports the use of prerecorded video. A reporter can comment live while the recorded video is playing. TVU has been working with news stations and government offices in different countries.
“TVU is committed to work with all broadcasters across India to support their efforts to deliver crucial updates and information to their viewers during this unprecedented time. We are providing our cloud and IP based solutions free at this time to help broadcasters transition as seamlessly and as quickly as possible to remote production to minimize disruption,” said Sushant Rai, VP, sales – South Asia, Middle East and Africa, TVU Networks. “In addition, TVU will continue to provide its renowned 24/7 global service and all support personnel are fully mobilized to support customers as well as the larger broadcast community.”
The news channels have started taking the help of technology to keep the business running. And video calling applications have become a saviour for broadcasters along with video transmission software tools that they had already been using, such as TVU and LiveU. Most channels rely on Skype, Zoom and WhatsApp applications to bring panellists on TV screens virtually.
Times NOW’s editor-in-chief Rahul Shivshankar says: “In the current scenario where social distancing needs to be practised as a norm, connecting with guests and experts via video (calling) applications is the most suitable option. Apart from Whatsapp and Skype, we rely on Microsoft teams.”
“Our producers talk the guests through the procedures well in advance and even offer technical solutions to ensure that they adjust to them,” says Shivshankar. He says that the channel will also continue to largely engage with guests and viewers virtually as a means of practising social distancing.”
Apart from video calling apps, the channel has also been using video transmission software called LiveU. All the reporters of the channel have been given access to the mobile app of the software for either a live reporting or sending a recorded link to maintain the broadcast quality.
Malayalam news channel Mathrubhumi News has also been using the LiveU mobile application to get information from reporters. The channel uses it as per guests’ convenience for connecting them virtually to a live show or debate.
Mathrubhumi News chief executive officer Mohan Nair says: “Each guest has their preference and understanding for a video calling application; hence we have been using the video-calling application as per their choice such as Zoom, Hangout, Google Duo, WhatsApp, etc.”
A source close to a leading Hindi news channel also agrees that the channel is majorly dependent on Skype and LiveU. However, the channel, lately, has also been trying a video calling app called Zoom. “Not just reporters but we have given the access of LiveU application to guests, who join our debate shows. And, if need be we also send a camera crew to the guests’ place while ensuring precautions.”
The reporters are also using the LiveU mobile application to report a story from the field. The application allows the producers to connect the reporter and other panellists without disturbing the broadcast quality.
Echoing a similar view, Nair says: “In pre-pandemic period, the virtual connections used to take place on a smaller scale but lately this crisis has forced everyone to be connected virtually. People watch new channels for information and they do so irrespective of whether a guest comes to the studio or connected from his/her home.”
Asianet News assistant executive editor Sindhu Sooryakumar explains that the current lockdown situation has also forced the reporters to multitask; they not only report the story but also have to fit into the shoes of the cameraman by ensuring proper video frame setting, background, and sound.
“The reporters and anchors of the channel use TVU mobile application to report and present news stories; a person sitting at the production control room in a newsroom patches everyone to give a flow to the show,” says Sooryakumar, who anchors a show called Cover Story on the news channel.
What about the broadcast quality?
Indeed, the two major issues facing the news channels while connecting guests through video calling applications are: Internet connectivity and video quality. The latter is somehow either adjusted by the producer, but the former has been the major concern of the news broadcasters.
The broadcast quality is somewhat maintained due to the TVU mobile application as compared to other video calling software tools, Sooryakumar adds. News channels are taking extra effort to bring information to the audience and ensure that they give disclaimer about the fact that they are working from home.
“Bandwidth issues and call drops definitely act as deterrents as it does affect the audio and visual experience. However, these challenges are beyond anyone’s control and in the current scenario, video calling is the best way to work with. We are also glad that both our guests and viewers are cognizant and accommodative of intermittent lags,” says Times NOW editor-in-chief.
Echoing the same view, Mathrubhumi News CEO says: “The internet connectivity issue is major hindrance during a live show; however, to be flawless in our programming we do a multiple trail with guests, who are connected through a video call before going live. We ensure video quality is good, bandwidth is uninterrupted as well as the sound and background of the video frame is appropriate.”
Another source close to a leading English news channel says: “All our reporters and guests use LiveU application for video transmission as it helps maintain the broadcast visual quality and the app also helps the producer to patch the call quite quickly and smoothly, be it a single or multi-windows.”
He adds: “Internet being the primary issue for every news channel, we are not much concerned about the video quality as the panellists already occupy meagre space on screen as we, generally, never had less than eight experts for a live debate show on both of our news channels.”
It is likely that the Covid2019 crisis is likely to give birth to advanced virtual connections for guests and reporters joining a show on news channels. Such technological means may become the new normal for broadcasters in the days to come just like the work-from-home phenomenon.
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.
