Articles by Editors

As stewards of this local publication, we are often at the intersection of a variety of public voices, energies and attitudes. This fortnight, we’ll present to you three different sides to one larger emerging story.One, is the usual scenario of frustration. The unending delays and ubiquitous inefficiency in any public works projects appears to draw only a feeble response.The pushy few complain that their fellow citizens are full of apathy. The only pressure citizens appear to able to put on local authorities is repeated phone calls, and a closeddoor meeting or two. There are isolated successes, and life moves on.…

Citizen Matters, Bangalore's own interactive newsmagazine is happy to announce the first of a series of Citizen Journalism classes, on Saturday, 9th of May. Classes are open for all Bangaloreans. Please note the details in this post and confirm your attendance by Wednesday May 6th evening 4pm. SMS confirmations are welcome. Date: 9th May, 2009Location: Adarsh Business School, South End Road, Next to Police (Additional Commissioner's) Office, South End Circle, Jayanagar. (Map)Parking: In the basement Time: 2.30pm - 5.30pm.Contact for the class: Raghavendra, Citizen Matters, 9611106477.Seats will fill out quickly so please do not wait till the last minute and…

Citizen Matters, Bangalore's own interactive newsmagazine is happy to announce the first of a series of Citizen Journalism classes, on Saturday, 9th of May. Classes are open for all Bangaloreans. Please note the details in this post and confirm your attendance by Wednesday May 6th evening 4pm. SMS confirmations are welcome. Date: 9th May, 2009Location: Adarsh Business School, South End Road, Next to Police (Additional Commissioner's) Office, South End Circle, Jayanagar. (Map)Parking: In the basement Time: 2.30pm - 5.30pm.Contact for the class: Raghavendra, Citizen Matters, 9611106477.Seats will fill out quickly so please do not wait till the last minute and…

Citizen Matters Magazine - Vol 1 Issue 7 Dear Readers, Covering the elections anywhere in the world gives journalists a good, close look at the candidates and their campaigns. Here are some slices of our analysis from the Bengaluru contests.First, the debates. Unfortunately, most candidates did not make use of the opportunity to respond as lawmakers, let alone lawmakers with vision. Many serious questions did not invite thoughtful, reasoned answers from the candidates of the major parties.For one question on communal violence, Krishna Byregowda, INC candidate for Bangalore South, mouthed away a textbook response: “Hatred is the source of all…

Citizen Matters Magazine - Vol 1 Issue 7 Dear Readers, Covering the elections anywhere in the world gives journalists a good, close look at the candidates and their campaigns. Here are some slices of our analysis from the Bengaluru contests.First, the debates. Unfortunately, most candidates did not make use of the opportunity to respond as lawmakers, let alone lawmakers with vision. Many serious questions did not invite thoughtful, reasoned answers from the candidates of the major parties.For one question on communal violence, Krishna Byregowda, INC candidate for Bangalore South, mouthed away a textbook response: “Hatred is the source of all…

Citizen Matters Magazine - Vol 1 Issue 6Dear Readers, Let’s cut to the chase. Election campaigning has started in Bangalore. On April 23, voters from the city’s four parliamentary constituencies will elect their MPs. With the rising interest in voting amongst the educated classes, there will likely be many opportunities for you to directly engage the candidates when they come knocking. But what would you ask the candidates? Should we ask them to make our cities more liveable (which is largely a local government issue) or grill them on grave issues like economic slowdown, terror and communal violence? Or both?…

Citizen Matters Magazine - Vol 1 Issue 6Dear Readers, Let’s cut to the chase. Election campaigning has started in Bangalore. On April 23, voters from the city’s four parliamentary constituencies will elect their MPs. With the rising interest in voting amongst the educated classes, there will likely be many opportunities for you to directly engage the candidates when they come knocking. But what would you ask the candidates? Should we ask them to make our cities more liveable (which is largely a local government issue) or grill them on grave issues like economic slowdown, terror and communal violence? Or both?…

Citizen Matters Magazine - Vol 1 Issue 5Dear Readers, Happy Ugadi to you all! Elections are around. Well they’ve always been around you might say. After all our democracy is over 60-years-old now. What’s different this time? No, not really, it’s not the politics. It’s not the policy promises either. It’s the interest in voting amongst the middle and upper classes -- the groups who are usually scorned by politicians and NGOs as too aloof to dirty their hands with ‘running to file a form’ or ‘going to the booth to stand in line to vote’. Scores of hitherto non-voters…

Citizen Matters Magazine - Vol 1 Issue 5Dear Readers, Happy Ugadi to you all! Elections are around. Well they’ve always been around you might say. After all our democracy is over 60-years-old now. What’s different this time? No, not really, it’s not the politics. It’s not the policy promises either. It’s the interest in voting amongst the middle and upper classes -- the groups who are usually scorned by politicians and NGOs as too aloof to dirty their hands with ‘running to file a form’ or ‘going to the booth to stand in line to vote’. Scores of hitherto non-voters…

Dear Readers, As the fourth issue goes to press, we’d like bring to your attention some good tidings and some worrisome ones.At Citizen Matters, we have always believed in the power of editorial work that combines professional journalism with citizen journalism. In Supriya Khandekar and Vaishnavi Vittal, we have two staff journalists who are both talented and committed to bringing you interesting and insightful stories from around our city. Do look out for their ‘In focus’ pieces, as well their community writing and guides and primers.And equally, we have been very fortunate to continue to run into a stream of…