Pakistan’s first ever Blog Awards
It wasn’t lights, camera, action but lights, camera, tweet/blog! At Kohinoor Hall of Regent Plaza on 28th May, 2010 in Karachi, the first of its kind Annual Blog Awards were organized by CIO and Google. Most of the KMB bloggers were present at the event either as nominees or part of the organizing committee (special mention of Rabia Garib) that has now become a stepping stone for the blogosphere of Pakistan.
The first Blog Awards received 207 entries for 41 defined categories, which were judged by 14 industry experts. Welcoming around 300 guests that not only included nominated bloggers but tech gurus and industry specialists whose input made the evening intellectually riveting.
Nominee hand bands
From our contributing bloggers, four got lucky in winning for the following categories:
- Best Podcast (Awab Alvi & Faisal Kapadia)
- Political Blogger (Teeth Maestro)
- Best Live Photo Blogger (Jamash)
- Photo Blogger (Raja Islam)
The awards announcements were sporadically done and complimented by three Unconference sessions featuring industry luminaries of respective fields; in short:
Session 1:
Topic: Innovation in Media
Panelists: Amin Rammal, CEO Digispace
Sarmad Ali, MD Mktg & Adv Sales, Jang
Bushra Iqbal, Digital Team Leader, P&G
Nabiah Mohammad, Dawn News
Naveen Naqvi, Blogger and News anchor
Faizan Leghari (audience member)
Mohammad Jehanzeb (audience member)
Summary: The evolution of new media and it’s increasing role of how people access it. There was a time that TV and Print were the only mediums of news; however, with ever increasing internet penetration (cable/broadband), users are switching bandwagons. They see and hear exactly what they want to rather than some designated representatives that provide only one side of the story. Blogosphere has played a major part in making that happen with citizen journalism and active participation in making the voices of masses heard, highlighting the real socio-political issues.
IPTV is in its nascent stages but there would come a time when the content being seen would be totally ruled by the viewer along with customization. An example of it is Youtube presenting an array of tagged content that is easy to find.
The time of innovation is NOW and many traditional media vehicles are finally catching up to it. E.g., introduction of epaper, Live streaming of news and programs online, updates and alerts regarding content and competitions via SMS, IVR and Web, interactive Outdoors, etc.
Session2:
Topic: Selling 3.0
Panelists: Ali Raza Merchant, Synergyzer & BrandSynario
Adil Ahmed, CEO The Symmetry
Badar Khushnood, Google Pakistan
Imran Moinuddin, NexDegree
Adil Ahmed (audience member)
Mohsin Jaffrey (audience member)
Summary: Digital Marketing is an infant in Pakistan that has just started crawling on its knees. It has a long way to go yet it’s not the time to write it off rather time for investment. Compared to other mediums this is highly customizable, interactive and cost-effective. I would disagree with the audience view on this topic that Pakistan only has 18M (it’s actually 20Million now) online users thus investing on such a small population is a waste. Interesting fact that Badar pointed out was that Mobility has to be made part of the digital world rather than only online.
In case of Pakistan, 58% of population (96M) possesses a mobile that is actually a part of their personality (leaving home, there are three things that no one forgets: wallet, keys and mobile). Pakistanis are ready for Digital Marketing campaigns that is proven by increasing brands taking up the challenge, just to name a few: PTCL, Mobilink, Telenor, Warid, Ufone, Zong, Nokia, all major brands of Unilever and mostly banks. It’s a high time that such limited mindsets are turned towards the traceability of digital campaigns along with high ROI via click rates, page views, SMS traffic, registrations, calls, etc.
In case of local content, our regional areas are rife with cultural treasures that can be acquired to produce engaging entertainment for the masses. The copyright issues are to be ironed out with clear rules and regulations for a profitable music and entertainment industry.
Session 3:
Topic: Engage & Converge
Panelists: Sidra Iqbal, Television anchor
Aleem Bawany – Express C/O Badar
Yasir Riaz, GEO
Jeremy Higgs, NOWPDP
Ashar Zaidi, Intel Pakistan
George Fulton, Journalist and Television anchor
Summary: With content being easily available now, panelists talked about what made them click in the viewers’ eyes and had a viral effect for increased traffic. Tech savvy users have very less time for advertisements and more time for exactly what they want to see and hear (music, videos, movies, games, etc.) They can zip websites; pick and choose the relevant content as per their preference. The content stickiness via creative content or friends endorsement are needed in order to bring in the traffic.
Many types of viral videos were discussed like some classics like Meera video, Thakur ka Inteqaam, Captain Safeguard, etc. There’s definitely a need of more such content to be produced locally. The Pakistani blogosphere has made this lacking area fill with increasingly colorful content comprising of beautiful pictures and videos of the picturesque locations, social stories, political views, individualistic opinions that ranges from satirical to solemn.
All in all, the event was a resounding success, recognizing local intellectuals, who make a point in getting heard about various socio-economic, political and lifestyle issues. Hopefully, this is the first of many.
Blog Awards Winners’ list:
Best Celebrity Blog
Naveen Naqvi – naveenaqvi.com
Best Culture Blog
Yasir Niaz – yasirniaz.blogspot.com
Best Fashion Blog
Irfan Ahson – bridalfashions.wordpress.com
Best Gossip Blog
Rafaeel Akbar – blog.roofe.net
Best Humor Blog
Tazeen – tazeen-tazeen.blogspot.com
Best Music Blog
Hammad dar – koolmuzone.com
Best Photo Blog
Awais Yaqub – www.photopakistan.blogspot.com
Photo Blogger
Raja Islam – www.flickr.com/rajaislam
Muhammad Khabbab – lahoregardening.blogspot.com
Best Podcast
Teeth Maestro (Awab Alvi & Faisal Kapadia) – laidbackshow.com
Business Blog
Salma Jafri – wordpl.net
Best Current Affairs Blog:
Adil Najam – pakistaniat.com
Best Diarist
Momal Mushtaq – mm89.wordpress.com
Best Ezine
Sarosh Waiz – pakmediablog.net
Best Food Blog
Neelam Hamid – neelscorner.com
Travel Blog
Nabeel – eatntravel.pk
Urdu Blog
Fahad Kehar – abushamil.com
Best Political Coverage Blog
Ahsan butt – fiverupees.com
Best Sports Blog
Mudassir Aijaz – reverseswing.wordpress.com
Best Personal Blog
Salman Latif – salmanlatif.wordpress.com
Political blogger
Teeth Maestro – www.teeth.com.pk/blog
Best Individual Blogger
Awais Aftab – awaisaftab.blogspot.com
Best Automobile Blog
Mohammad Khan – caradvice.pk
Best Education Blog
Khurram Hassan Shafique – nextstepforward.net
Tips and Tricks
Qasim Imtiaz – cellplugin.blogspot.com
Best Gaming Blog
Ali Sharaq – actionradius.com/jdl
Best Technology (Domestic) Blog
Tech Lahore – techlahore.com
Best Technology (International) Blog
Haris Nadeem – sizzledcore.com
Imran Hussain – ithinkdiff.com
Taimur Asad – redmondpie.com
Saad Hamid – sizlopedia.com
Best News Media Channel
Adeel Ayub – geotauaisay.com
Best Online Community Blog
Yasir Nisar – www.flickr.com/groups/pakistaniphotographers
Activist Blogger
Sana Saleem – sanasaleem.com
Live Blogger
Fariha Akhtar
Tech hardware
Abdullah Saad – wccftech.com
Best Live Photo Blogger
Jamal Ashiqain – karachiart.blogspot.com
Best Blog Aggregator
Asim Imtiaz, Ammar Yasir, Asad Ullah and Hamza Zafar – teabreak.pk
Best News Broken on a Blog
Farhan Janjua – guppu.com
Best Local Humor
Touseef Ikram – paksatire.com
Best Industry Support
Jehan Ara
Sources: CIO Pakistan and Converge Weekly
Pictures courtesy: Jamal, Raja and CIO
wow !!
4 KMB members
Great !!
All of you PLUS all others . . CONGRATS !!!
This is GREAT!!
Congratulations :-)
I wish next year KMB also gets nominated :D
Congratulations to the winning bloggers,KMB blogger and the organisers….I hope it will encourage many more…the contrast between the blog post title (Pakistan’s first ever Blog Awards) and the Metroblogging Headline (Metblogs is saved! Read the official post.)
is quite intriguing so is the timing….lol
Ummm … so who won? Confusing post.
Why no “Best Religion Blog”?
Gallup Pakistan is the country’s most respected opinion and socio economic research organization and is widely quoted in national and international media.
Please join us on Facebook and our Blog:
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We hope that you find the details of the research articles to be of interest and possibly of some assistance to your work.
Your views and comments will be most welcome and greatly appreciated.
Hi Afreen
Ali from tribune.com.pk here.
I’ve read a few of your posts and was interested in knowing whether you would want to write for our site, as we are about to launch our blogs section.
We’re developing a list of bloggers (all sorts, all topics for our various categories/sub-categories) and thought you may be up to the task. Also, we allow cross-posting i.e. bloggers can submit pieces they have written for their own blogs, as long as they indicate that the piece was originally published at XYZ url.
You can contact the web desk regarding blog posts here: blog@tribune.com.pk
Or just get back to me directly.
As we are now among Pakistan’s most visited sites, it is a big opportunity to reach a lot of people and receive feedback (or even traffic back to your own blog).
Please fill my survey form at this link :
http://sites.google.com/site/pakauctionsite/
i am really thankful.
mullah tum yahan bhi?????????
i missed this event . sigh
Treatment Plant-II Land Scam-CDGK Utilized TP-II land illegally
A 115-acre plot in Mehmoodabad, which the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) has utilized for the resettlement of the affectees of Lines Area, legally belongs to the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB), allocated for the expansion of Treatment Plant II (TP-II).
The plot is being used for the TP-II, it is also being used as a storage ground for goods impounded in anti-encroachment drives. In the past some parties have tried many times to utilize some of the TP-II land but were not allowed to expand the graveyard or construct a park or any other facility. However, now the CDGK is merrily violating all the rules and regulations by using the land as an alternate accommodation for the affected people of Lines Area, the CDGK Works and Services Department demarcated a total of 1,264 plots on the 50-acre empty portion of TP-II and allowed the encroachers to occupy the KWSB land, reserved for the treatment plant.
Earlier, Mr. Ghani, an opposition leader in CDGK House on a point of order, had attempted to raise the issue on the city council floor but the City Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil and a couple of other treasury members had barred him from doing so. He even tried to read out a letter (No DO-I/Z-II/W&S/CDGK/08/165) issued by the CDGK Works and Services Department District Officer Shakoor Pathan, requesting the KWSB managing director to allow the demarcation of plots and other proposed facilities.
Now the current status of the land is that, KWSB is planning to expand TP-II under S-III Project but sufficient land is not available to properly design the plant in an affordable cost. In fact KPT had taken up the S-III Project and contributing towards S-III by proposing a plant (60 mgd Capacity) at Mai kolachi but that piece of land is also under litigation. If, in case that proposal is not materialized, KWSB has no other option but to divert all flows to TP-II and enhanced its existing capacity. But this is not possible in the present scenario as a large piece of land has been encroached upon by the affetees of Lines area project. Since the site is the best suited place for the treatment facility, it should not be used for any other purpose other than its specified use.
Once again, we as concerned citizens of Karachi, request to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to gather all the facts, which have not been stated by the concerned authorities, and order an immediate inquiry to restore the original status of the land. In the past SC has made many historic verdicts and did not compromise on the doctrine of necessacity. The attorney General who has been assigned this task to implement the S-III project is hereby also requested to look into the issue and clear all ambiguities before the honorable court and provide them actual facts of the case. This is in the best interest of all.
—
Shoib Khan, PLOT NO. D-266, STREET NO.4, HAROONABAD, SITE, KARACHI, CELL # 0321-2026265
dekh yaar joint chiefs kay court martial ki batein gareeb O lachar logon kay mooh sey achi lagti hain…per
aik toh yeah unmit dagh hai dhulney wala nahein….
dooja there is a clear and present danger to momani(logic)…aur
teeja ..iam on labor leave with no motivation or desire to help you…so
yeahan kotahi ay zauq ay amal hai khud giraftari….
Hai jurm-e-zaeefi kee saza marg-e-mafajat
:-p lol
sorry sorry…lol sorry
lol
Oh God..lol