Keeping eyes and ears tuned into society's pulse

Dubai: They came, they spoke, they connected. Some of the newspaper's most interactive readers were invited to its head office in Dubai recently.

The first session of Gulf News Readers Club members met on Thursday.

The readers were invited based on their level of interactivity with the newspaper. The gathering that lasted for well over two hours gave everybody an opportunity to interact with editors and reporters as well as the Editor-in-Chief, Abdul Hamid Ahmad.

He said: "Our readers are part of our editorial team. We have to listen to them and understand, especially what they think about the newspaper."

The club was launched in June 2006 and has grown over the years to include hundreds of readers from different professions, nationalities, interests and voices.

It gives subscribers the opportunity to be a greater part of the newspaper - a platform that allows them to interact, connect, communicate and direct what the newsroom offers them.

Dedicated reader Geetam Kapur, General Secretary of the Indian Ladies Association, said: "It really feels good to be part of the Readers Club."

Gulf News is the first newspaper in the UAE that has launched reader interactivity of this nature and steadily built upon it. Today there are numerous followers, but the leading English daily continues to push forth with its pioneering spirit.

At the session, the Editor-in-Chief opened up the floor for debate on a range of issues including cost of living, social structure, Emiratisation, women's role and the trials of a multicultural society.

The conversation was lively and led to some interesting insights, especially the significance of having a "transient population" as the workforce.

Gulf News reader Dr Rocky Termanini, an educator and IT adviser, said: "I think the meeting went very well. There was quite a bit of interest in all the topics. Everyone voiced their concerns."

The unique exercise conveyed to our readers that we care about what they have to say and will act upon it.

The Editor-in-Chief said: "Our readers are our eyes and ears out there in the community. They help us stay accurate and relevant. And we will take their suggestions and criticisms, and work to implement as much as possible."

Deepali Tulpule, manager in the field of corporate education, agreed that reader presence added to Gulf News's vitality and vibrancy as a national newspaper.

However, she added: "We need to see more of readers ... especially the many people who have a rags-to-riches story. Newspapers need to give more information about people in the community."