GDNLife, Bahrain’s own Social Media site is live and open to users today (February 9), announced Al Hilal Group.  

The new addition to the Group’s integrated publishing platform which combines print, online and social media, establishes the GDN and the Gulf Weekly as the only media in Bahrain with a social media platform dedicated to the Kingdom’s community of citizens and expatriates.

Speaking as the site was launched, Al Hilal Group Managing Director Ronnie Middleton said: "GDNLife represents our latest media initiative which is designed to achieve two objectives. The first is to provide all residents of Bahrain as well as anyone with an interest in the kingdom’s vibrant society with their very own social media platform - a platform which will bring together our readers allowing them to share videos, pictures and comments on any one of 15 different topics including popular subjects such as food, health entertainment, shopping, travel and motoring."

"The second objective is to provide our advertisers with an even wider market reach unmatched by any other media in Bahrain," stated Middleton.

"With the launch of GDNLife, we now have the highest number of readers, followers and connections across our print, online and social media platforms including our Arabian Business Community (ABC) Bahrain which last year also provided over 1.6 million business referrals to companies in Bahrain," he added.

The GDNLife platform was conceptualized, designed and delivered by Bahrain-based North Star Media.

George Williams, Editor-in-Chief of Gulf Daily News, said: "We asked the North Star Media team to create a platform for “citizen journalists” to be part of the GDN and Gulf Weekly. GDNLife gives anyone in Bahrain who is aspiring to become an Influencer or Blogger the opportunity to do so."

"Whether you are a foodie or a motorhead, love fashion or art; through our readers, followers and connections you can become a part of our own home-grown community with common interests emanating from the fact that we all live and work in this wonderful Kingdom of Bahrain," noted Williams.

Stan Szecowka, Editor of GDN Online, said: "GDNLife is an amazing development providing the GDN and the Gulf Weekly with a unique interactive module which allows us to connect with our readers directly and allows them to contribute to the content of our ever evolving media platforms."

"Today the direction of media has to be influenced by our readers and GDNLife will ensure that the GDN follows current interests and trends ensuring that we remain relevant in a very dynamic media environment," observed Szecowka.

GDNLife is part of GDN and Gulf Weekly online editions which are owned by Al Hilal Group, one of the leading publishers in the GCC.

The company also publishes the market leading trade publications, websites and portals; Gulf Construction, Gulf Industry, Oil & Gas news, Travel & Tourism News and the Arabian Business Community (ABC) Bahrain. A diverse business group, Al Hilal also has interests in exhibitions and IT.-TradeArabia News Service