TMS, Ep 47: Repeal of farm laws, decline of cable TV, market, cloud kitchen

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the scrapping of the controversial farm laws after persistent protests. Modi had hailed the laws as a watershed moment when they were passed last year, with the government arguing that they would bring private investments and FDI into the farm sector. However, the government was unable to onboard a section of farmers and caved into the political pressure arising from their protest. Now, what comes next?
 
The lesson from this episode should be clear: No matter how strong the government might appear, major reforms cannot be pushed through without taking all stakeholders on board.
 
Coming back to your living room, you could be one of the many who switched to DTH from cable. The lure of better picture and sound quality made people choose the broadband-from-space services over wired cables in recent years. The cable industry also could not keep pace with the clutch of technological shifts introduced by the government. So, what is the current status of the cable industry and what is its future outlook?
 
While the country is steadily shifting from TV channels to streaming services, cable TV, as a standalone video service, is evidently on a decline. Let’s switch to the market channel now. Inflationary pressures and rising Covid-19 cases in developed markets are haunting investors.
Besides, PM Narendra Modi has decided to withdraw the three contentious farm laws in the forthcoming Parliamentary session.
How will all these developments affect the markets? Should investors be prepared for further downfall or will the markets see a bounce-back rally?
 
Ever really liked your Zomato order and wanted to visit the restaurant you ordered from, only to realise that the said food joint has no dine-in facility? Such restaurants are called cloud kitchens. Today there are several food brands, leveraging digital branding and marketing strategies to create customer loyalty and brand recall. So, what is this cloud kitchen trend, and why is it gaining momentum in India?
 
Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast.