Do Lone Rangers Really Win?

If you watch any of the old western classic movies, you will be struck by a
couple of things. One is the desolate setting with a barren desert as its
setting. The second is a lone ranger with a deeply lined face partially hidden
by a Stetson hat taking on all the rogues of the land single handedly.

No doubt these movies set the cash registers in movie theatres ringing. It
also triggered many youngsters to swagger and strut and ape these celluloid
figures. While most outgrow this phase and stick only to the mannerisms, it
seems there are some who take the role of a solitary fighter way too close to
heart.

Two of them are based in Madurai and both are executive council members of
the local association Computer And Media Society. Madurai has been dealing with
issues like price protection, DoA and warranty replacements for several months.
This is precisely why DQ Channels and The DQ Week organized an IT Panchayat in
the city to create a platform where partners and distributors could sit and sort
out some of these problems.

But according to the earlier mentioned gentlemen, local associations can do a
good job dealing with channel issues and there was no need for a third party to
mediate. An interesting thought. Except it is unclear why the association has
not been able to resolve any, if not all, of these issues till date?

Agreed, local associations have the wherewithal to resolve channel issues,
but how many of them have actually been able to do that. More often than not,
one hears of associations slowly slipping into ignominy because of lack of
initiative or the key members being caught up with their business activities.

Vinita Bhatia

At such a juncture the intervention of a third party can help to re-ignite
the spark in the association and also make the members aware of the need to have
a vibrant local body. The IT Panchayat has also been instrumental in the
formation of associations in cities like Bhopal, Agartala, etc. Surely this
shows that sometimes a third person can offer a much needed different
perspective on the way things stand.

Also, the role of the media has never been to settle issues or scores. It is
to highlight issues and get people to think of alternatives to resolve these
issues. This is precisely what DQ Channels and The DQ Week have been doing for
close to a decade now.

It is sad therefore, when one encounters close-minded people who want the
mantle of battling issues facing the channel, but do not want to actually go out
and seek a resolution. It is people like these who weaken associations, because
their actions are limited to words and not deeds.

Unless they have actions to back their claims, it is best that they let
someone else, third party though these may be, to endeavor and resolve matters,
than to let things continue the way they are.

vinita bhatia

vinitavs@cybermedia.co.in