Dubai
Gulf News has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to reader interactivity by a newspaper in the region. We were the first to have a Readers Desk that works as a one-stop point for all issues related to readers.
You can always reach us on our hotline 04 4067666, email us on readers@gulfnews.com, post a comment on our Facebook page or tweet to us @GNReaders.
Traditionally, many Western papers have had some form of reader interactivity. However, no newspaper has it in the consolidated form as found in Gulf News. It raises the question as to why have we done this? Why have we invested in it with so much time and effort?
The answer is innovation, we are a newspaper that believes in change and evolution for growth. It helps us improve and stay relevant. Additionally, when we started it was at a juncture when there was an increased need for accountability and transparency in the media in the country. What better way to drive that than by example.
And our competitors did follow suit, to a certain degree. The direct benefit has been to readers, their voice is heard and questions are answered.
Community Reports are part of that initiative, too. Our readers have adopted it extremely well, too, adding a new dimension to crowd-sourced journalism. They raise valid questions, pursue issues and seek answers.
Today we present the winners for the month of March. It was an interesting range to pick from. Readers raised everything from cars acting as road blocks to damaged grating at the Jebel Hafeet mountains. Each subject is relevant and of value to the community in the area. But, we have to make a selection.
First place goes to Savio Peter Lodh for writing in about the school buses that make unsafe stops on Sharjah roads when they pick up or drop off pupils. The report was published on March 19, “Buses stopping on highways a hazard”. The authorities are taking several measures to protect children but this is a clear lapse in responsibility by the concerned schools. They need to train their staff and ensure the safety of pupils.
Second place goes to a community report by Saira Mohammad Khalil that raises the issue of child safety at home. In the report, “Parents ought to be vigilant at all times”, published on March 23, it shows a young child sitting at an open window. It is a disaster waiting to happen. We keep running reports of children falling to their death from highrises due to negligence or lack of safety measures being in place. But, it still doesn’t seem to instil enough vigilance on the matter.
Third place goes to Raunak Kapur, a Sharjah-based pupil who talks about the lack of proper street lighting having a direct impact on his life and on people in the community. The report, “No street lights at dawn causes chaos”, published on March 3, discusses the problem of poor visibility when school buses pick up children in near darkness.
I would like to commend all three reader journalists on their vigilance and social consciousness, along with all the others who file reports and continue to do so.
PROFILES:
First place: Savio Peter Lodh
The Sharjah-based student said: “Firstly, I would like to thank Gulf News for choosing my community report. I raised the specific issue as it was something that occurred continuously each day. Having young twin sisters myself that wait for their school bus each morning, I am aware of the sorrow the families would have to go through if one of these buses were involved in a collision. I hope that the school authorities and the Sharjah Police would look deeper into this matter and advise all bus staff not to stop on the main roads or highways and instead use the inner service lanes. Better safe than sorry!”
Second place: Saira Mohammad Khalil
The Sharjah-based homemaker said: “The purpose of raising this issue was to highlight the carelessness of parents towards their children. Just one moment of negligence could lead to an irreplaceable loss for your whole life. The child in the picture that I captured was sitting on window pane for almost half an hour and was looking downward. I hope after reading this reprot, parents keep an eye on their children or fix grills on windows.”
Third place: Raunak Kapur
The Sharjah-based pupil said: “It feels great to win as the community reports published in Gulf News are of very high quality and cover issues in depth. I raised this issue because it concerns us, the students, who have to board the school transport early in the morning. Street lights are essential at that hour and without it, it becomes unsafe for us. I hope that the Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (Sews) will install or regularise the existing bulbs in that area. Just one bulb per crossroad is enough. We need may be two or three bulbs on the street only and the children’s safety can be ensured.”
— Profiles compiled by Rabab Khan/Community Interactivity Editor