Accrington Observer Thanks For Nothing

[derekgas]

Newspapers do not sell newspapers to make money, they sell advertising space to make money, far more effort goes into selling advertising space than goes into printing news.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by garinda

Perhaps it was just yours they thought we'd got tired of reading.

To be honest in the days when I DID write letters to the press, (that was while you were still in other pastures Rindi) it was very rare I didn't have one of my letters published, I was a bit like jack the ripper really, but he was a serial killer I was a serial letter writer

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by derek gas

Newspapers do not sell newspapers to make money, they sell advertising space to make money, far more effort goes into selling advertising space than goes into printing news.

Think you've got the right Derek news is just a space filler when they're short of adverts

[gynn]

Originally Posted by derekgas

Newspapers do not sell newspapers to make money, they sell advertising space to make money.

....but the more papers they sell, the more money they make from advertising because it's worth more.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by jaysay

To be honest in the days when I DID write letters to the press, (that was while you were still in other pastures Rindi)

There was always a pile of Obervers, waiting to be read on my regular return visits.

Or if they'd published an exceptionally stupid letter, it would be posted down to London, first class.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by garinda

There was always a pile of Obervers, waiting to be read on my regular return visits.

Or if they'd published an exceptionally stupid letter, it would be posted down to London, first class.

Little or no work for the postie then

[mobertol]

Read the article on-line and it seems reasonably balanced to me and not a particularly scathing assessment of local businesses. Perhaps Leon could suggest a follow up to the Observer article featuring different places on a weekly basis, what they offer and how they are facing the current recession.
I think it's time for some positive thinking, we're all being drawn into this idea that all is doom and gloom, because that is what we are being "fed" on a daily basis. History has shown that even in the darkest of times people still want some diversion and fun. The simple pleasures in life are what we fall back on. Food, drink and some good company don't have to break the bank and generate a sense of well-being which translates into positive attitudes. That's what is needed to break the back of a recession - we all have to do our bit, that's what "community" is all about.

[Leon Kelly]

Hi Guys,

Okay having investigated further i have found out the following -

I spoke with deputy leader Clare Pritchard who was disgusted with the article and said that it does the town no favours, and more to the point why where they not contacted as they are currently in power and yet Peter Briercliffe had been contacted and yet the new regieme had not been consulted.

I then spoke with Tony Dobson, who was also annoyed as he received a phone call from the observer stating that they were doing a positive article on the towns nightlife, with the re opening of voodoo lounge and also weatherspoons, and also doing a huge feature on the railway in town.

Did anyone see any huge feature on the Railway.......... I think not, Tonys view was that he is always receiving calls from the observer asking what is happening in the town, and as i stated before you only need to read this weeks observer to work this one out, Wouldnt it create more sales if you gave us the town centre nightlife a page and every week we took our own pictures , thus saving costs for a photographer and we could give a detailed outlook to up and coming events, People would then purchase the paper if their picture was in it.

When they did the face in the crowd idea the reason why it lacked any enthusiam, is that the photographer turns up at 9pm, no bars in town are open or get busy until 11pm so it was a waste of time, then no one knew who had won the face in the crowd, and what was even more amusing when they came and did it at Level One, they circled my staff member to win a free drink from my bar ..........

The story made be factual in some degrees but its old news, And shows the town in a dim glow, why didnt the work the story with some balance as to say New Nightclub Opens in town along with 2 new bars, And run it from a positive angle, that front page article will do more harm than good, as to the reading punter or person walking past, its morealess says dont come accrington all the pubs are shut its rubbish.

I however stand corrected on the Black Horse not being thwaites , However it is being turned into something.

[Pudwoppa]

Leon - If you approached the Observer with the proposal that landlords/licensees would take their own pictures for a 'face in the crowd' section, I'm sure they'd take you up on it. As has been mentioned above - they love a free story/section.

It's refreshing to see someone coming up with ideas and solutions to problems. Keep at it even if you get negative responses - this town has way too many people who skulk at new ideas and then moan that nothing changes. The town's nightlife needs someone proactive such as yourself to get it back on track. Keep up the good work.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Leon Kelly

Wouldnt it create more sales if you gave us the town centre nightlife a page and every week we took our own pictures , thus saving costs for a photographer and we could give a detailed outlook to up and coming events, People would then purchase the paper if their picture was in it.

I'm sure the Observer would happily give you a four page spread, for a weekly Accrington nightlife feature.

If you paid for it.

As stated earlier, the Observer is part of a group, which is a commercial business, and who are out to make money for their investors. The bigger the circulation, the higher the rate they can charge for advertisments.

They aren't beholden to Hyndburn B.C., and aren't in buisness to promote what the council would like us to know.

The reason people purchase neswpapers is to read reports of news stories.

Their obligation is to their readers, and not necessarily to those who wish to use their newspaper to promote the council, or other peoples' businesses etc.

Just a tip.

Part of my job for seventeen years was promoting the business I worked for, for a minimum amount of money. I was very succesful in getting mentions in publications as diverse as the Daily Mail, G.Q., the Financial Times, and American Vogue, to name but a few.

The trick is to give them a story to run with, and which they'll think their readership will appreciate. If you're purely after a plug, there's very little chance they'll bite.

If you're budget doesn't run to buying space to do as you wish, why not ask if you could be their social editor, and reinvent the page they currently have, of peoples' mugshots, snapped in various pubs around town?

It might prove more interesting if it was run as a social diary/gossip column page. Certainly if there was something to read, rather than just glance at the photographs, it could be a win/win situation. They get free copy, you get the chance to feature and promote the area's pubs and clubs.

Just an idea, as I do appreciate you do care about the town's nightlife, and I wish you well.

[Gayle]

There are a few factors at play here and it's a fine balance.

I can certainly understand where Leon is coming from because I'm in the same position myself. There are many times when I send info to the papers and they don't print it or get it slightly wrong. So it can sometimes seem frustrating when you think you've got a good news story and it isn't printed.

But the other side of it is that papers are driven by advertising to some degree and so why should they print a story about a company that doesn't advertise - what's in it for them? We make money for tickets for shows so why should they give us free advertising? We tend to have more success with coverage of free and community events.

We can't afford to advertise so in effect we have to take pot luck with the papers and hope that they'll print something about us but not gripe if they don't. Having said that, our local reporters are usually really good and if you approach them with something interesting then they'll happily go with it. Quite often they contact me for stories because we've built up a relationship over the years and they know that I can usually fill a corner of a page if they need to fill some space.

I come from a Google Page Ranking background so I know that even the best Google Page Ranking companies work on a 60% hit rate with press releases - some will be picked up but others won't.

I would suggest to anyone that wants to have things printed about them to prepare the photos and releases themselves and send them to the local papers. I send info in on a Sunday so that it is there waiting for them on Monday morning when they're starting to work on that week's paper. No point sending in later as they're rushing to print and definitely don't send things in on a Wednesday because that's print day and you've little or no chance of getting a story in.

If you send an article in make sure it's in the style of the paper so that they can print it as it is without rewriting. Take a photo and email it in with the article.

Send listings seperately to the listings page - don't expect reporters to pass that info on to the listings as well as printing an article. But for the listings simply put the information that you want printing in that column i.e. the bare details.

[jaysay]

Well I have only delt with the Obs once over the last few years and I was miss quoted

[steve2qec]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Well I have only delt with the Obs once over the last few years and I was miss quoted

I love a good misquote - I once read somewhere that an octopus has 8 testicles!!

[yerself]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Your letters have no guarantee of being printed

How much did you used to pay then? They printed enough of yours.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by yerself

How much did you used to pay then? They printed enough of yours.

They used to publish quality in those days yerself, no payment necessary