What is  Editorial Note? How it helps CCV Readers

Chief Editor: for benefit of Readers

dr. jameskottoor

First of all kindly accept the greetings of CCV editors to all our readers, writers, advisers, critics and well wishers. Uppermost in our minds is the phrase: “Thank You” for making the CCV what it is today – the top internet religious portal in India.

Honestly none of us three were working to reach that position when we launched CCV on Nov. 6th 2014. Never even dreamt of it, but your unstinted support, encouragement and cooperation raised us to that level of 222.560th position in Global ranking.

Objectively speaking there is nothing at all to take any pride in it. If we do, it would be like becoming what a Malayalam proverb says: (Mookkillathidath murimookanrajav”) a man with half a nose turns out as king in a country of people without nose. So CCV has a very long way to go to become an outstanding network portal of News and Views, to unite people of good will around the globe.

Baby Steps to be taken

Comparisons are odious and we are not at it now. Any distant goal, even scaling the Everest must start with the first baby step put forward before giant steps are taken. Here we are at explaining how we all have to work together to take those baby steps and  giant steps  in everybody’s interest.

Here comes the role of Editorial Notes. We started it already and some of you at least have already noticed it. They are the one para explanatory notes in smaller types and different colors inserted to help the reader grasp and digest the substance of the article or report faster. Here let me clarify one misunderstanding. Some of the readers of Church Citizens’ Voice say they can’t open it by clicking that name. To open its website you have to click: www.almayasabdam.com, not the name. Please remember that.

In every publication there are always periodical editorials from the Editor in Chief or the editorial board, daily, weekly or monthly depending on the frequency of the publication. In the case of an internet publication, every minute news items are published, as things happen. So editorials may be demanded for every new item published which is impossible as it will confuse readers wondering which editorial is about which item.

So here we speak of  one para editorial notes that comes with long or hard to digest news items and signed as editor or associate editor.You can see them if you click open headlines in the CCV for the past months. Here we are to explain  the purpose of these notes?

Why Editorial Notes?

It is precisely to help the reader, especially those who are short of time to read long articles or not too familiar with Englishto grasp at least the central idea of the news report or article. Keralites are famous for gulping down the day’s news items in between their morning coffee bites. Hardly much concentration is possible before a long winding article. This is the case with all people busy 24 hours. Therefor the rule of the press is that headlines by themselves should proclaim clearly the substance of the article or news item. To equip writers to do that, Journalism courses allot one whole semester to teach headline writing. If the headline doesn’t succeeded to do that, at least the first para of the piece must explain briefly what the whole report or article is all about.

Very often what happens is neither the headline nor the first para, even in an “inverted pyramid” writing convey the main idea, forcing the reader to close the paper and go to do more urgent duty of the day. It is to help such people an editorial note is added to entice and draw the reader deep into the main theme of the article. In one sense it is a little bit of “baby spoon feeling”.

In CCV 20 Headlines pope up at Click

No use presenting a big table full of nourishing food items if none of the invited guests (readers) takes a good bite at most of them. In the CCV for example, as soon as you click open it, some twenty headlines pope up before you. Which of these 20 ladies draped in colorful dress, beckoning or soliciting you, succeed to draw you near to giver a kiss of love? That is the challenge of a smart headline writer. Once the reader starts reading an item he/she should be coaxed or helped by the editorial note to go deep and take the main juice out of it. So editorial notes are to facilitate reading.

So may we request humbly and sincerely all visitors of the CCV to click open not only attractive headlines but also the majority of headlines at least to see if they have an editorial note to help. If there is, it is an indication, that it is an important article and that you should read at least the editorial note. The purpose of our service is: “You must increase (in wisdom and knowledge) and we must decrease (like the candle that burns out).” As editors we are here at this end to wear out in your service, not to rust out. Otherwise, we will have to say at dawn break, “We have labored in vain the whole night.”

Development of Readers

If the teacher doesn’t teach, if the student doesn’t learn, for what purpose are we running schools? Today the buzz word is Development. Modiji started it all with his sabkasaath, sabkavikasfor the sake of “Ache Din” for all. That high tide catapult him on the top seat of power, into the PM’s Chair, in India. Whether it was a hype to fool the people or a done fact, you judge. Similarly Pope Francis lives a simple life and speaks often to bishops to live a poor, Spartan life and exercise an inverted pyramid type of authority and if that is not listened to and practiced by  our bishops, all will brush it aside as pious platitudes and ignore the bishops who ignore both the preaching and practice of the Pope.

Even after campaigning in 30 odd public meetings in Bihar, Modi brought his party to hit the rock bottom. At least there is no more any Modi wave now. If it has not lost its glamor, it is definitely on the decline, with no prospect of going up again in the near future. Such will  be the rise and fall of CCV also, unless we take care to remember the scriptural warning: “Let him who thinks, he is standing, take care not to  fall.”

Yes our buzz word also is DEVELOPMENT, but as spoken of by Pope Paul VI long ago: Development is the new name for Peace,” that is, development of the WHOLE MAN and ALL MEN. It is a mouthful to swallow. What is relevant to us is: Whole Man. It means the development of the spiritual, intellectual, psychological, physical,  political, social, cultural, religious Man and other multi-dimensional developments of all those who are connected with CCV. We don’t vivisect man and try to develop any one aspect, say religious, of his development needs. Hence we publish everything fit to print (as NY Times says) knowing well every thing has its role to play in human development.

CCV editors and writers cannot develop without the simultaneous development of every one they serve or collaborate with. So helping each other, supporting each other, correcting each other, but above all learning from each other through forth right discussion and transparent dialogue without fear of favor let us march ahead. SathyamevaJayathe, Truth is mighty and will prevail. Or shall we proclaim: The whole truth in all Charity as our motto as we go forward. It is based on the Gospel teaching: “Veritatemfacientes in caritate” doing the truth in charity, as we go ahead, trusting in the one who said: I am the truth!”

Contact at: jameskottoor@gmail.com

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