Monday, according to the Guinness World Records, is the most hated day of the week. It could be because it is the first day of a long week, and for those who hate their job, it is even worse. Experts believe making Monday fun, free and flexible could change it.
At Kuensel, starting today, we will dedicate our front page to stories that could begin Monday with some positivity. The mainstream media, including ourselves, are obsessed with negative news. We wake up watching social media reels and breakfast news on television of how many children were killed in Palestine, of how many missiles were shot down or landed on schools and public places taking innocent lives, of tornados devastating entire counties, floods and drought.
These news cannot be avoided, as reporters embedded at conflict areas, spending millions, file breaking news and analysis. But we believe that it is not all doom and gloom.
There are researches that confirm what many have long suspected that a continuous coverage of disasters, tragedies and violence could trigger fear, stress and even trauma in those consuming the stories. Although Bhutan is better off and local media not providing “enough” of that, we are bombarded with cable TV and social media enabling the news to be in our hemchu.
There are good things happening, small it may be. There are plenty of stories to be told to inspire, hope and give us confidence, if not, at least begin Monday on a happy note!
From our own records, we are convinced that our readers like “positive” stories – stories about common people, common issues, little achievements, of small success and also light stories that readers can relate to easily. Some of our light reads, judging by the number of shares and likes, could easily be the most read story of the year. For instance, stories like “Dine-and-Dash man convicted” (Where a man was caught for leaving a bar without paying) or about the bear at large after drinking rum – were one of the most read stories.
However, we are not saying we will not tell stories of tragedies, crimes or problems. These stories will have to be written about. So shall the boring but important stories on policies, analysis and issues that affect our people.
The first edition of Kuensel’s “Good Monday” today carries two stories of such nature. One is about a Bhutanese in Australia initiating to help his countrymen and women find affordable shelter. If housing shortage or Bhutanese living in cramped flats or tents made headlines, Sangay Kunchok’s initiative deserves more media coverage. The other is about a Bhutanese biologist getting recognised for his dedication to conservation. At a time when stories of losing habitat, endangered species and impacts of climate change dominate mainstream news, Kuenzang Dorji winning the “Green Oscars” deserves equal attention.
Meanwhile, we hope our small initiative will be received well. To make it successful, we need the support of our readers and audience. We request our readers to share your stories or be our ears and eyes to help us spread positivity.