The BBC World Service chose higher-education venues for the launch of a new online citizen journalism initiative for Urdu speakers.
BBC Urdu hopes to find “Citizen Editors” for its user-generated-content microsite “Your Edition.” The “Your Edition” launch tour commenced in October at the University of Lucknow campus. Other venues for the tour include Bhopal, Hyderabad and Aligarh.
“In a milieu of extensive social-networking and participatory media, we intend ‘Your Edition’ to be the next level of interactivity whereby user-participation evolves into user-empowerment,” said BBC Urdu Web Site Editor Waheed Mirza
“This means that, in a clearly sign-posted area,” said Mirza, “users not only comment and respond to existing news agenda but are encouraged to decide editorial agenda on issues and areas concerning them.”
In recent years, BBC Urdu has invested in its presence in India, expanding its network of reporters and stringers so as to ensure extensive and in-depth coverage.
“We want to raise awareness of our Web site among Urdu speakers in India, where Internet penetration and usage is growing on a daily basis,” said Mohammed Hanif, head of BBC Urdu.
