BBC TV Top Gear programme on Lancia!

[sparehead3]

Hi Martin,

A very simple solution is to add an attribute onto each car on the MCR system "Available for Media/TV/Magazines?" : normally the value is blank but a member could set it to "Yes". In this way ANYONE with access to a club database could get a list of potential vehicles (and see any pictures of them). This could even be expanded to take into account geography so you could say "any fulvia that is red and has a 1.3engine and is within 50 miles of manchester" ...

MCR could publish the list onto the Forum too and it could also say what isn't available for media as well as what is eg: there are Delta S4 models available.

There is NO computer programming work required to add the attribute onto MCR , it'd be available immediately and members could opt in their vehicles if they want to.

We could then all become potential press and publicity officers (although I think a pro active (small) team would be a good thing and the Forum is the best place to co-ordinate).

Steve

[lee69]

This sounds spookily like a Press & Publicity Officer's role so how about one (or two) of the critics out there volunteering to take on that very important job. If we'd had someone in that post who'd fostered good links with the magazines and tv programmes things might have been different.

I thought we had a Press and Publicity Officer, if not why has the post not been offered to the membership to fill?

[peterbaker]

Im not sure what Martin is saying here. When the new Delta was launched we, LMC, definitely had a Press Officer, he upset the more influencial of magazines with clumsy accusations. Very clever. That he no longer appears representing the club is maybe no bad thing. As a committee member Martin should know whether we have a P/O or not, as indeed so should the members. Also Martin seems to be blaming members for not responding, but where was the appeal, certainly not in V/L, or on the Forum. Bit of a secret then between Paul Baker and his friends maybe? Im sorry but none of this adds up. CLS cannot be blamed for the outcome. See you at RallyDay tomorrow.       

[Philm]

If there was an appeal for cars, who on this forum knew about it? I certainly had no knowledge. Anyone else?

[DianaW]

As Membership Secretary, I often get requests for cars for photoshoots etc but invariably these requests are left until the very last minute. 

However, the Membership System can produce reports on all cars which have been registered by members although I am afraid that colour - apart from Limited Editions - is not always shown, and condition has never been requested either.

If anyone does require a list of cars for Club purposes for a specific area I can supply this.

Diana Williamson
Membership Secretary

[fensaddler]

This episode highlights a number of things that, as a club, we need to fix.

Firstly, too many at the top of the club still rely on an 'old boys club' type network, which means that a lot of the membership, who might be able and willing to help in all sorts of ways, are excluded, deliberately or inadvertently.  Like all such ways of working, it wastes huge amounts of talent simply because it isn't plugged into that network - we need to broaden our base.

There isn't the instant thought to get a request like this on the forum.  It isn't a panacea, but it can help.

Thirdly, the MCR is critical, especially if its flagged with information about cars available for the press.

And finally, CLS are running rings around us on press and publicity.  Not surprisingly they are good at it, because JP is in PR, and the membership and leadership of the club are very 'new media' savvy.  But I'm quite sure we have capable people in our club - we need to put the call out and give that post the resources and attention it deserves - it is our way out to the rest of the world outside our pond.  And if no-one else is forthcoming, I'll chuck my hat in the ring - I'm not at all sure I'm the right person, or have all of the necessary skills or contacts (I haven't read and inwardly digested the works of Machiavelli, so I'm going to be at a disadvantage against the competition... ), but its better than having no one in post.

[neil-yaj396]

As a newish member I just want to add that the club has missed a big opportunity here. Whether you love or hate Clarkson he has been a lone (but of course loud) voice in the British media in his support of Lancia, and a Top Gear programme devoted to the Marque is a massive coup for all Lancia lovers in this country. That the club is not part of this is unforgivable!

Incidentally I had never heard of Club Lancia Sport until this thread started up. I checked out their website which seems exclusive to quattro and Fulvia owners, but hats off to them for getting involved in this in front of us.

The committee need to discuss this. We must improve if the club is to survive in the long term.

[DavidLaver]

I've tried not to get drawn in - and please no offence if I withdraw and don't comment again.

Something not to miss is that if it wasn't for CLS the show might not have happend at all.  Hats off to them - I'm grateful for their efforts.   Likewise the Curborough day they run - I can't do it this year but I like to know it happens and that I might get a chance at it another year.

For sure as they show the way forward (in some regards) its dumb not to follow - but better they exist and do this stuff at all than not.

David

[peterbaker]

Does Chris have time before the committee meeting on 27th Sept to put his name forward to take on the role of Press Officer? I would, as a receiver and sender of news help him establish a network and would be pleased to feature LMC news on my motor sport website. BTW. Rallyday was fantastic for Lancia with thirty cars on display (CLS with LMC members joining in) and many ex works rally cars both static and demonstrating. Around twenty of us enjoyed the freedom of the circuit with a five lap session for a modest £20. John Davenport officially became President of CLS and I have now stepped down. 

[fensaddler]

Does Chris have time before the committee meeting on 27th Sept to put his name forward to take on the role of Press Officer?

If I take on this role I want to be sure that:
- There isn't someone better qualified and suited to the role, already within the club;
- That its an appointment which has the support of at least enough members to have some degree of mandate and democratic validity;
- That the committee and the club know what they are getting...

Given that, I'd take it on, and Peter - I would appreciate your support.

[Philm]

Good luck Chris, you deserve everyones support.

[David Bieda]

I gather that the call from the BBC came to Paul Baker on the same day as our Italian Lancia event where he did ask people who were there and by the time he got back to the BBC on the Monday it had all been sown up which is an absurd time scale.

However I do think that all members with emails should have been notified that weekend - of course those without emails would complain but the only other option would have been VL which would have taken weeks.

I don't know all the details but this would have been a decision by individual members with the LMC's overall support. Clearly we were not quick enough on the mark - IF there had been time to be so which I don't know.

David Bieda

[peterbaker]

Paul, if he had the authority, should have given an immediate response while on the phone. YES. Deal done. The fact that this did not happen shows there must have been some doubt as to the beneficial outcome to LMC. The organising side  would have fallen into place and CLS would have been happy to co-operate and supply cars if required.     

[rodney3010]

I've read with interest the recent postings on this subject as i have recently returned to the club after a few years away. Unfortunately the content of Viva Lancia seems to confirm why i gave up membership originally.
However, whilst I applaud many of the recent sentiments expressed, at the risk of upsetting anybody, i do have a question. Apologies in advance if this has been discussed before (I haven't had time to read all postings) but if change is needed then change to what? In other words, whats the objective? What's the vision for the future? For example, in five years time, what will the LMC be offering it's members? At the risk of sounding like a trainer in the classroom, without a clear set of goals then little will be achieved.
Again, profuse apologies if this is old ground but I sense a certian amount of frustration matched by my own. I love old cars, Lancias in particular and want to see the marque survive. Without wishing to sound melodramatic but it seems the next few years will be important to the classic scene in general and therefore our club.

[peterbaker]

Rodney, you raise an interesting point. Change is required only in as much that for the Club to remain a leader with a strong social centre/support system for owners the management need to embrace avaliable technology and new ideas. This I think is what we are openly discussing. Trying as ordinary members to pass on some ideas. By finding ways of running the Club more efficiently the committee and officers are more likely to guarantee its future. It is also possible by making savings to divert income into other areas such as magazine and activitiy subsidy to enhance membership. Running a club after all is a business and although the discussion can sometimes get rather hot everyone is making their point for the very best of reasons.