News Broadcasting
News channels stay on high growth curve; regional leads charge
There’s no business like the news channel business. Three years and counting and there is still no let-up in the double digit growth this genre of television broadcasting has been withnessing. And neither is there any let-up in the number of new channels that are readying to enter the arena.
News as a genre has stayed in the news for a variety of reasons: Impressive growth over the last years, emergence of new regional news markets, additional number of brands etc. Year 2005 saw launches of five national news channels.
Does this lead to audience fragmentation within the existing viewer base or does every news channel create its own space with the overall category exhibiting growth? That is the poser that Tam Media research had before it when it conducted a special study on the news genre for indiantelevision.com.
News channel category over the years
The growth of News category has been very significant. The category has registered double digit growth over years. In 2003 the category grew by 19 per cent over 2002 while in 2004 the category grew by 72 per cent over 2002 and by 43 per cent over 2003. Even in the current year the category has registered a growth of 23 per cent over 2004.
Further a closer look reveals that the News category is divided into different genres. The above chart shows that the Hindi news genre has the largest share followed by Regional news genre. An interesting fact to note is that the Hindi news genre has been witnessing a decline in the current year while Regional news channel have been growing consistently from 2003. The Regional news genre grew by an alarming 108 per cent in 2004 over 2003. The Hindi news genre dipped by 11 per cent in 2004 over 2003 while in 2005 it has dipped by 5 per cent. A look at regional Languages
In the current year Hindi news command a share of 69 per cent while Regional news genre constitutes 18 per cent of the total viewership. Apart from this it would be interesting to know how much viewership comes from regional news languages compared to Hindi and English news languages.
Delving further into news languages, a closer look reveals that regional languages commands a 42 per cent share among all languages while Hindi language accounts for 52 per cent and English language for 6 per cent.Even within regional languages Telugu and Tamil languages together account for 20 per cent of the entire viewership. Profile of Viewers:
Another important aspect in News genre is the profile of viewers that it attracts. A look at the universe sizes states that CS 35+ yrs have a 34 per cent share among all while CS 25-34yrs constitute only 20 per cent of the total population. On comparing the universe sizes with Hindi mass sizes the proportion remains the same while the Hindi news have a different set of viewers. Major viewership for Hindi news comes from CS 25+ yrs which accounts for more than 65 per cent of the total Hindi mass universe. Effect of Events on News Genre :
News channel thrive on events and Breaking news to the world. News events have a tremendous effect on the viewership of a news channels and the above chart proves the point. Every time there has been a major news event in India or across the globe the viewership has jumped to new heights. The recent Tsunami or the Mumbai deluge saw the viewership of News channels grow tremendously. A case in study – How events change the viewership in News genre Ayodhya Attack :
As seen earlier events have a major effect on News viewership. So looking further into specific events will just enable to understand how the viewership grows. In the case of the recent Ayodhya attack the viewership of News genre jumped by 45 per cent. The Mumbai Deluge :
Taking the case further lets look at a more recent event that is the Mumbai downpour. On comparing the share of viewership of news genre 4 weeks before the deluge and during the deluge throws light on how the viewership grew in a span on 4 weeks. The news genre had a 8 per cent share before the deluge but during the deluge the share of news genre jumped to 17 per cent of the total viewership. |
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.
