News Broadcasting
Hong Kong net topsy, US somewhat survy
MUMBAI: When it comes to surfing the internet Hong Kong residents come out on top. A recent survey by Nielsen//NetRatings shows that residents spend nearly 22 hours surfing in February 2005. This represents a 25 per cent growth over February 2004.
The net is not that hot in Italy. Italians on average log eight hours online during the month. Americans spend an average of 14 hours a month surfing. This is close to the worldwide average. Interestingly America is the only country where people have reduced their net uptake. Their net consumption is down by two per cent.
Nielsen//NetRatings senior internet analyst Kaizad Gotla said, “There are many opportunities ahead for companies online, but if they just continue to do what they’re doing today, they’re only going to move sideways. Acquiring users in markets that are currently in their growth stages will lead to a loyal user base that will pay dividends for Internet companies in the future.
“Shifts in media consumption, steadily improving online offerings, and growing broadband penetration are likely factors in growing the number of online user sessions on a global basis.”
Net usage in the US is showing mature growth which is forcing innovation of new web offerings.
The latest global research from Nielsen//NetRatings tracked the Web usage behavior of 12 countries worldwide
The following table gives an idea of the uptake of the net.
| Country | Feb. 2005 Time Spent Online | Year-Over-Year Growth |
| Hong Kong | 21 hours 53 minutes | 25 per cent |
| France | 14 hours 25 minutes | 19 per cent |
| Italy | 8 hours | 15 per cent |
| Japan | 14 hours 50 minutes | 12 per cent |
| Australia | 11 hours 39 minutes | 10 per cent |
| UK | 11 hours 20 minutes | Eight per cent |
| Sweden | 10 hours 29 minutes | eight per cent |
| Switzerland | 10 hours 52 minutes | Seven per cent |
| Brazil | 13 hours 13 minutes | Six per cent |
| Spain | 11 hours 36 minutes | five per cent |
| Germany | 12 hours 31 minutes | four per cent |
| US | 13 hours 44 minutes | Minus two per cent |
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
