News Broadcasting
TVC launches 24-hour shopping channel
MUMBAI: TVC a leading brand in direct selling and a pioneer of teleshopping in India has launched TVC Online, a 24 hour dedicated teleshopping channel.
This is part of an ambitious expansion initiative undertaken by TVC Sky Shop.
TVC Online, a free to air digital channel, has a round-the-clock schedule. The telecast will be on a 12 + 12 hours cycle. TVC has 100 odd products in their collection, which they want to promote through the newly launched channel.Briefing the press, TVC chairman Vinod Agarwal informed that the company would be continuing their telecasts in other channels as well.
“We will be continuing with our schedules in other channels. We need some time to establish the TVC channel in the market,” Agarwal said.
Talking to Indiantelevision.com, Agarwal said the company is expecting a three-fold increase in their turnover with the launch of the channel. Agarwal put the company’s present turnover at Rs 500 million. He added that the channel would be viewed in 5 crore houses across India within the next two months.
Worldwide, sky shopping generates 100 billion US dollars. But in India, the industry is yet to catch up. Agarwal attributed this phenomenon to the country’s consumer culture.
“Indians are different customers. They like to feel and touch the product before buying. The middleclass is very particular about it,” said Agarwal. “The strategy TVC has adopted to tackle this is by opening 74 stores across India where people can come, see the product, touch, feel and then buy,” offered Agarwal.
In Mumbai, TVC has opened seven stores. TVC officials reiterated their priority as customer satisfaction. Agarwal pointed out that there was no question of ‘queries unanswered’ as TVC has developed a round-the-clock call center.
“We started with four people and now we have a team of 200 plus,” informed Nerula.
Agarwal expressed his hope that India would also follow the US example by adopting the sky shopping culture at a fast rate.
“We have to set the standards for the industry,” he said.
Regarding the price range TVC is offering, Agarwal said they had reduced the prices as the focus is on volume sale than target marketing.
TVC president marketing MS Nerula said with the people following a hectic life schedule, the significance of a 24-hour shopping channel has acquired immense dimensions.
“Internet shopping could only appeal to a limited section of our society as the common man was not computer savvy. But a 24 hour tele-shopping channel has great potential because television has become a popular media,” commented Nerula.
TVC executive director said that TVC would bring innovative products at affordable prices, as Indians are very particular about prices. Samtani claimed that TVC had five lakhs of satisfied customers.
“We are here for a long run and we are in the diver’s seat. We want to develop the retail industry,” Samtani said.
TVC officials expressed their willingness to carry the advertisements of other brands, which are not part of TVC, in the channel. “We welcome all and we are open to the possibilities of carrying advertisements of external brands,” offered Samtani.
Samtani defended the decision to hire stars to promote the products. “Nowadays, all the reputed brands have stars endorsing them, then why TVC can’t?” queried Samtani in a lighter vein.
TVC has roped in Jackie Shroff, Divya Dutta, Anu Kapoor and Mrinal Kulkarni to endorse the TVC products.
When asked how they were expecting the audience to sit through 25 or 30 minutes of product information telecast per product, Agarwal explained that, establishing their products in people’s minds would need time, as they are new in Indian market.
“You can’t compare them with the market’s top brands who need just 30 seconds of ad time. We don’t have brands and so our products will need more time, naturally.”
Agarwal told Indiantelevision.com that TVC had no prime time schedule as the 24-hour channel is running in two cycles of 12 hours repeat telecasts.
“TVC is targeting the whole society. This will help people to watch the channel at their convenience. A housewife might opt to watch the channel in the afternoon. Kids might watch it in the morning. The working class will be watching it in the evening,” pointed out Agarwal.
Details of TVC channel frequency:
1. Up Linking Frequency : 6570 Mhz
2. Down Link Frequency : 3545 Mhz
3. FEC : ¾
4. Symbol Rate : 26.667
5. Polarization U/L : Horizontal
6. Polarization D/L : Vertical
7. Satellite : Thaicom 3
8. Orbital : 78.5 Deg east
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.
