mid-day editorial: Communication and the lack of it

Mumbai’s clubs have become a hot button topic for a while now, given the speed with which news is communicated

Mumbai’s clubs have become a hot button topic for a while now, given the speed with which news is communicated. The changing nature of news itself where clubs, given their prestigious member base, coveted contracts, big names and ego battles, have become subjects of great interest — the controversies within these institutions give fodder to a hungry press.

Yesterday, this paper ran a front page report about a SoBo club’s president being accused, via a member’s letter to the club, of trying to forge an illicit relationship with his married daughter. The club refused to comment on the accusation and the accused remained elusive, despite numerous requests for comment.

For days now, another SoBo club has been embroiled in a controversy over parking space, with BMC claiming it wants a certain portion of space near the club. The Royal Western India Turf Club, horse racing’s apex body, has found itself regularly in the news for different reasons. The National Sports Club of India battles of attrition are also well documented.

Often, we see the clubs refusing to talk to the media, citing different rules or because they are wary. It is time for clubs to wise up to the fact that media is interested in their matters and it is up to them to form a proper channel of communication for the press to get answers to queries. Instead of playing cat and mouse games and then blaming media for raking up unnecessary controversies and threatening legal action or screaming about inaccurate reportage, the onus lies on clubs to clear the air about issues which will attract attention of the media.

If, as the clubs say, they wish to uphold the dignity of the institution, they need to get more professional about how to deal with media. The press needs to know who to turn to in order to get clear responses, instead of the smoke ’n’ mirror kind of effect that is often given. With many private clubs of the city set to hold their Annual General Meetings soon, maybe this is an aspect that should be up for discussion? What say, ladies and gentlemen?

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