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SPC’s News Cinema Initiative Features as Many as 2,332 Visitors and Suggests Most People Would Like to Like to See Positive News Sharjah, February 22, 2017: An analytical study conducted by the Sharjah Press Club (SPC) of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB) suggests that most people prefer positive news stories that do not cause sadness, fear or horror but promote feeling of happiness and joy, which is encouraged and sought by the UAE society. The SPC study is based on observations and monitoring of various audiences’ reactions to news movies played by the News Cinema launched by the SPC during the UAE Innovation Week in Sharjah last November. Joy and laughter, which are usually associated with the positivity one feels when watching good news, came in the first place, underscoring the importance of positive news and their impact on the lives of individuals and the society at large. The SPC’s News Cinema was inspired by the suggestion of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, that there is a need for the media to highlight positive news and developments in society in order to generate positivity. The study showed that the audience’s reactions -- as many as 2,332 -- included joy, which ranked first, interest, which ranked second at 24.44%, fear, which came in third place at 15.44%, and discomfort in the fourth place at 10.29%. Fifth, sixth and seventh places were taken by disgust (8.06%), shock (7.80%) and sadness (6.86%), while lack of interest and crying both ranked last at 0.86% each. The idea was to show visitors to the SPC stand, no matter what their age or group, a series of news stories representing a sample of what people are exposed to in the course of the day. The series included real-life stories, facts, personal experiences, comedy and horror, for the purpose of measuring the visitors’ responses to various types of news. Buoyed by the audience’s response to its News Cinema initiative, the SPC has announced its plans to issue an e-newsletter that aims to spread happiness amongst its readers even as they are confronted by horrible stories of war, blood and gore that have largely dominated the news in recent years, negatively affecting peoples’ minds and undermining their positive energy. The newsletter, which will be targeted at various segments of the society, will concentrate on positive news stories, studies and facts dealing with happiness, as well as news that reflect the reality of life in the UAE, which seeks to establish a happy and forward-looking society. Speaking about the SPC’s happiness initiative Huda Al Dah, Director of Sharjah Press Club, urged the media to focus on positive news stories and developments, thus contributing to the objective of building a happy and healthy society that cares and gives, and disseminating a positive media message aimed at promoting people’s sense of security and peace of mind. Huda Al Dah emphasised that with the launch of its e-newsletter, the SPC is looking to achieve a number of goals. These include the formation of a national media vision that aligns with the country’s pursuit of a happy society, the promotion of a culture of happiness and the formation of a positive public opinion, as well as the development of journalistic work and qualification of media graduates. She pointed out that the Sharjah Press Club, which is managed by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB) - earlier known as Sharjah Media Centre -- has been serving the media fraternity in Sharjah and the UAE for the past five years. The SPC offers an ideal platform for journalists and other individuals and institutions involved in the media to interact, network and learn of new developments and opportunities, debate issues and explore our collective role as communicators.
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