Archery. The Forgotten Sport

[Capt. Al]

Well as far as the press are concerned.

Our Public Relations Officer( who does a grand job) took photo's and wrote a report of our National Outdoor Championships last weekend(12/13th August) and e mail it to roughly 12 local and regional newspapers and what has been printed.

NOTHING.

I mean it not as if the journalists have to come out and watch it all they have to do is read the e mail and write it up and put in even one photo of the prizewinners.

I am well aware that some of the papers only come out once a week so I am hopeful that they might print something yet.

So how do you promote Archery when the press don't even publish a report on your National Outdoor Championships?

So I was wondering if anyone had a similar problem with trying to get reports in the press?

[Marcus26]

The key is to develop a relashionship with your local paper and work with them on their requirements. I did this with one of ours and after some discussion have a format I can send in. They love it because I always supply a good interesting photo* and full report. They still screw up and make stupid edits (like the caption here is incorrect) but otherwise good.





* One mistake archers make is that they take very boring pictures. Having a picture in the paper of 3 people standing next to a target won't get attention. Have photos of people shooting, and avoid staged ones. Imagine a football match article where someone was pretending to kick the ball. Dull.

[alexvpaq]

we were 14 hour away and a journalist from our region took my friend in picture after the result because he got a medal at the quebec youth game...
They made a mistake in his name ! that was stupid lol
I just hope they won't do that mistake with me next year eheh!

[clickerati]

Originally Posted by alexvpaq

we were 14 hour away and a journalist from our region took my friend in picture after the result because he got a medal at the quebec youth game...
They made a mistake in his name ! that was stupid lol
I just hope they won't do that mistake with me next year eheh!

That is what we call in journalism...A FATAL ERROR!!! Unacceptable!!

[Thunk]

I once figured in a national newspaper article where I was quoted several times throughout the text. In the space of the one article they spelt my name three different ways and gave me two different ages!

[WhitehartFB]

Marcus is right, sports editors are always looking for copy but if they do not understand what has been sent to them it is very easy to disguard it, don't assume - always spoon feed.

Much better to contact the sports editor by telephone or in person before hand, explain the event and the copy and pictures you intend to send to him or her to see if that is what they are interested in or if there is a better angle this way they may even send a reporter along.

I would also suggest ringing the sports editor of the papers you have sent the email to and find out if they are printing your story and if not why not as it might just be a case of a few changes and it will be printed next week.

[Frommy]

The few articles I have had published on behalf of my club have always been written by me, complete with action photos, as mentioned by Marcus, burnt onto a CD, and hand delivered to the journo's. After many were edited to include crappy references to Robin Hood, etc., and many others did not go to press, I gave up trying. Too many other things to do.

Lazy pack of pr*cks, journos.

Brian

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Frommy

Lazy pack of pr*cks, journos.

Brian

Don't tar everyone with the same brush, Frommy; I was a journalist/editor for a number of years and always went to the ends of the earth to try and include everyone that wanted to be included and ensure accuracy of published material.

[pelican]

We've had photos as well as articles printed in previous years. We have a contact with the local Advertiser, who has been quite good about printing stuff we've written for him. He doesn't know much about archery but is happy to take pretty well what he's given and not chop it up too much. This has relied on the husband of one of our archers to keep the contact going, but it's worth it for the exposure.

It's worth getting the name of local journalist, could even ask them along to a comp (be lady/lord paramount) and look on it as developing a long term relationship.

[Marcus26]

I don't tolerate changes to include robin hood etc, if they do that they hear about it and we don't use them anymore.
I also ask to see all articles before printing if I didn't write them, they still make changes after I approve them, which irritates me greatly.
Threatened to sue one guy in my wife's old home state for writing a totally incorrect and embelished article about her. If he does it again he will be in court. Unacceptable.