March 2013
fr o m t h e d e s k
What
is good reporting or journalism all about? ACCORDING TO the Society of Professional Journalists, Journalism MEANS providing information thAT THE public needs to know. it emphasises the importance of free speech, gives A fair and TRUTHFUL ACCOUNT of news, and most importantly (to me, AT LEAST) makes you courageous to deliver a story as objectively as possible.
My personal favourite definition, which hints at a rather glorified profession, says that journalism isn’t just about providing raw information, but also about advising people how to use information to improve their lives, and inspire them to want to. Sadly, many (but not all) journalists I have met here rarely think of journalism with such passion; for them it is just a job that they perform with diligence, which works well in most circumstances. But there come instances like the gang rape in Delhi at the end of last year, when journalists woke up to the situation and inspired activists to stand up for women’s rights in a country that has the worst history of incidents committed against the girl-child. Such situations would be rare here in Qatar, given the fairly cocooned and safe life we all lead. But when situations that stoke our reporting instincts do present themselves, why do we back away and take the safe path? Is it the comfort of the “secure” life, or the fear that comes with the lack of a proper definition on what is “acceptable” and what is not, that pulls us back? Or is it the immature advertising market that funds only the positivePR-carrying press? Qatar Today investigates the issue of censorship, talking to the media, freedom monitors and experts to bring you the truth of the matter. Mired in controversy and still meeting with scepticism is the opening date of Qatar’s new airport facilities. Doha tweople tweeted that the new inaugural date of April 1, 2013 was yet another unintended pun! But what cannot be ignored is the beauty and the finesse of the final product. We have some select images of the new Hamad International Airport and exclusive interviews with the chief architect and some members of the Steering Committee to prove that details do matter, especially when the scale of the project is humongous. And Qatar Today brings to you an insider report on the aviation sector in the region, with three airlines vying for the top slot. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. An honest review of the BB10 – a product the whole world seems to be raving about, a Honda ride, traffic travails and a spotlight on some of the glittering luxury goods from the DJWE 2013, all add up to make March’s Qatar Today a solid read.
Sindhu Nair
1 2 Qatar Today
MARCH 2013