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Net scores over TV as info source: study
NEW YORK : More Americans today consider the Internet more important a source of source of information than television or print publicaitons, but fewer believe all they read online.
A UCLA survey commissioned in mid 2002, has thrown up the finding that Internet users are spending more time online, averaging 11 hours per week, up by more than an hour from a year earlier. The third annual nationwide telephone survey of 2000 households determined that only 53 per cent of users believe all they read online, down from 58 percent a year earlier.
The survey, released recently by the Center for Communication Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles, had a quarter of the respondents expressing concern about using credit cards over the Internet. Beau Brendler, director of the nonprofit Consumer WebWatch online credibility project, considers the increased skepticism good for consumers, but bad for Web sites.”It should be a potent signal to Web sites that they should do a better job ensuring that information is credible and Web sites are safe and secure.”
The survey was conducted in English and Spanish from April to June last year and included follow-up interviews with respondents to previous UCLA Internet studies. Among its chief findings, the survey noted that about 61 per cent of Internet users find the Net “very” or “extremely” important as an information source, compared with 60 per cent for books and 58 per cent for newspapers.
While the most experienced users overwhelmingly find the Net an important source, newcomers to the web consider books, newspapers and television more important than the Net.
The survey also found that nearly 30 per cent of Americans do not use the Net, most commonly because they don’t have a computer or one good enough. But nearly half the nonusers say they are likely to go online within a year. The Internet could also be cutting into television viewing time, with Internet users watching 11 hours per week of TV, or one hour less than in 2001. Internet users also average five hours less of TV each week than nonusers. Interestingly, nearly 37 per cent of parents say they have punished their kids by denying them access to the Internet, while 46 per cent of parents have used television as a similar punitive tool.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
