In the face of fierce competition from modern technology, digital games and social networking sites, printed books and publications are at risk of their existence and sustainability, and pose more challenges for those who print them, especially for the child whose global day has come to an end.

However, the editor of National Geographic Abu Dhabi and Majid, the UAE author Saad Al-Menhali, is optimistic that there is no room for pessimism and that the print versions will continue. "No matter what is said about the decline of the publication, the continuation of the publishing houses, Of its sales is evidence that the time is still early for them, especially as the future of publications linked to high goals of the highest, governments are well aware ».

Al-Manhali said in her interview with Emirates Today that the challenge is very high at the level of all publications. Children's magazines may be the most vulnerable to this challenge. Young children are more affected and are more dependent on modern technology and digital games. It is impossible, and this challenge is being tried by Majid magazine. "During the period in which I was commissioned to work in the magazine and extending until the end of this year, we tried to approach this technological world without compromising the importance of word, text and information by employing technology to give texts another dimension, such as using QR, The sound, images or 3D scenes that make you live the experience of being there, or by dragging the child to another challenge that is far from all that, such as introducing it into a practical challenge by cutting, pasting, and installing, not far from the use of reading for knowledge and understanding.

She noted another idea that she also applied to attract young readers to the magazine by issuing a weekly poster in the magazine, noting that the idea seeks to draw the attention of children and motivate them every week to wait for an innovative surprise within the pages of the issue. She said that in the 20 issues she published in the past, she presented "posters" that dealt with various topics and took different forms, such as a picture of a map or picture of an animal and others for the design of a 3D greeting card or a message made by the child in Braille or " And other ideas that I worked with the team to provide valuable information to the child best.

Search is ongoing

"I admit that I do not have a compass that guides me to choose what the child likes, and there is no recipe for success," she said. "But I'm trying to find out what can really resonate with the readers, and I'll stay until the last day of my job in the magazine. "" We adults do not have what is funny and what draws our attention, which is very different from what attracts a child at the age of seven or eight, and all we do all the time are attempts that may succeed and may fail, so work in the child's press is unfortunately like a test field, We relied on workshops and brainstorming sessions with the children themselves, as well as with educators Lena mixed reactions varied strongly so that we can almost get out of them more dispersed ».

"However, it should be continued," especially as it is related to the education of children through fun, and this is different from what exists in the West. Cartoon characters such as "SpongeBob" that does not provide any valuable content affects the development of the child ».

Old readers

Al-Saad pointed to another type of challenge facing Majid, which may be at the level of the challenge of the impact of technology on children. The magazine's balance is from readers who are now over the age of 40 and 40. They have real loyalty and love for all the old Majid characters, The magazine thinks about a million times in any development in the line of characters or even a change in the drawing characters and features in anticipation of the opinion of the public «Majid» of adults, who is the largest observer of the magazine and the most critical critic, adding «The dilemma here is that adults rule the magazine from their perspective, That their taste will be loved by the young, but we at Majid we have to keep Adults and children, despite the taste of categories contrast. »

Between two magazines

Al-Saad said that the work of nearly six years in the world of National Geographic has been a great editor, both in the approach she adopts and in the presentation of facts and information. To search and edit, they were not as interested in the same way the presentation of information.

She said that her experience with National Geographic tried to recruit him in Majid magazine by using the tools he invented and invested in the world of National Geographic, known for all its international platforms, such as the picture, the map, the infographic, the attractive story, , And the work of «KWR» as well as the integration of audiovisual and visual with the use of this on the paper print. "The child is very intelligent, and whenever we deal with him on this basis, we can make an impact on him, so the information should be the top priority of the material presented, but with different covers such as cardboard, information and even competitions and coloring."

Confrontation

The writer Al-Saad Al-Manhali considered that the future of reading is related to facing the challenges associated with technological development and dealing with it, and no matter how pessimistic, it is necessary to work and insist on raising the value of reading and making it a way of life.

I admit that I do not have a compass that guides me to choose what the child likes, and there is no recipe for success.

We seek to attract the attention of young people and motivate them every week to wait for an innovative surprise within the pages of the new «Majid».