SAS 2009: Final slot wakes up Indian media
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s2h Media Watch: There are certain hard truths in India with regard to hockey. If you are from South or East you have to last longer and work harder to earn the same name and fame that players from other regions garner so easily. Secondly, unless you reach the finals of the tournament or beat Pakistan, media won’t take you seriously.
Both the realities surfaced once again.
Dilip has crossed the 400-caps, became the world’s most capped India, yet no one is talking about it; neither do any government is announcing any reward. This we will discuss later.
Secondly, the coverage of Azlan Shah Cup. Of the 20 odd national dailies only one Indian newspaper (The Hindu) chose to send its person, and is giving enough space to the reportages.
Last year too India reached the final and there was only one Indian journalist there.
One leading Newspaper, Times of India, did not even publish result of India-Egypt match, the opener, at least in its Delhi edition.
Today the same paper carried out front page item, an interview from chief coach Harendera Sing and the Pak-India match report at the prime story. The Pak victory seemed to have worked wonders. It feels nice to see a top paper devotes much space to hockey after a long time.
Hindustan Times, another leading paper, for once, shed its not-so-prominent location to hockey, news and displayed the Saturday match report at the flier, today.
Most of the newspapers carried out photographs also.
The point is, why should hockey perform well first, say, reaching the final, to get proper coverage in the media, why they have to show results to command some space, does not it deserve otherwise too, as after all people follow it?
Media shed crocodile tears whenever a Federation chief is re-elected for another term, and often gives an idea that the long tenure for the National Federation Chief’s enjoy is the root cause all the maladies that affect our sports. Yet, when a court gives a verdict in favour what the newspapers fond of claiming their cause, short tenure for NFs chiefs, which is acutlly Batra’s case against KPS Gill and Union of India, al the newspapers have done was making a passing reference. The historic judgment was not at all highlighted the way it deserved. Television Channels, in their enthusiasm to deal sensation did not do even that.
Unless media takes up sports seriously nothing much will happen.
The Ipoh victories therefore woke up section of newspapers, and all of Television Channels. Well done boys, you and your performance can do wonders, one them is to force your space in the newspapers.
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yes dis is tru no one doing latest coverage for this tournament…nothing in newz papers or in media….jus got information…only n only from stick2hockey .com….thanx….
very best of luck for alllllllllllll…indian teammembes for today’s final…
m a journalism student and a die hard hockey lover..is this wat is fair reporting…no coverage,no news about the cup before the first match in TOI BANGALORE…i can go on swearing them.. but its of no use… plz realise that hockey needs a platform to reach many people and to grow …. realise that…don t do it on force…media is the watch dog of the society, and i think its just being very unfair, shame on evry one responsible for this mess in hockey… but thanx Mr.Arumugam…plz work on online hockey coverage and live commentary, make it work,,thank u…jai hind..long live hockey.. m/
I don’t entirely agree. However, there is no doubt about the fact that media does direct/influence people’s line of thought, the reverse is also true to the same extent.
Media will hardly ever miss topics that have a massive public following. Unfortunately, this sport looses out on that.
The team not winning any major tournaments is also one reason that they wouldn’t bother much about it. And yes, as you rightly pointed out, the media woke up late. But until the team shows some consistent big performance, it will be just a ‘came and went’ kind of news which, will not attract new people towards it. That is where they key is: “Get new people involved in Hockey”
The key is to keep consolidating on what has been built. Media will be forced to follow.
With no disregards to the Batra case news, if you ask me as a commoner, who knows very little of Hockey, would say,”Yeah, whatever. Another court case, another result. Whats next in the news?”
Leaving aside all this, I congratulate the team for winning the cup. I hope they maintain this winning streak and beat the likes of Aus, Neth, Ger and Spain.