media release changes by papers
Mon, 6 Mar 2000, 03:02 pmWalter Plinge4 posts in thread
media release changes by papers
Mon, 6 Mar 2000, 03:02 pmI sent Media releases out for Harbour Theatre's current production recently, only to find that one of the 'local' community papers had added two lines to it, totally changing what I had written and given away the ending of the play! I rang them only to be offered an apology, but please keep sending them information!
My question is, has this happened to anyone else? Can the papers change our media releases so much without consulting me?
We need the publicity, but I'm loath to trust this paper again if they feel free to change to content of a media release so much.
I'd appreciate any comments about this subject, Thank you.
My question is, has this happened to anyone else? Can the papers change our media releases so much without consulting me?
We need the publicity, but I'm loath to trust this paper again if they feel free to change to content of a media release so much.
I'd appreciate any comments about this subject, Thank you.
RE: media release changes by papers
Thu, 20 Apr 2000, 09:43 amWalter Plinge
Hello Robert & Grant
yes, i to have experienced the odd article tampering by community newspapers, sometimes harmlessly, occassionaly giving false information.
Unfortunatly however, press releases are sent to the newspapers in good faith that a) they will print them (when you want) and b) that they don't masacre your lovingly worked text.
neither of these can be controlled by the author or theatre concerned.
The only way of guaranteeing that what you write will appear, in exactly the same way, is going to the great expense of having advertisments printed in the newspapers concerned.
Being non profit organisation, this is not possible for us theatre groups.
So i would have to agree with Grant, that concentration on the exsisting market, OUR PATRONS, and aiming our publicity at them is the most important aspect of theatre publicity.
However i still persist with my press releases, and shot that shot gun into the air...you never know what you might hit...
One positive example is Acorn's last turn out at our AGM.
As with the year before, i wrote an article for the community newspapers, hoping to inject some new blood into our club. In 1999 we gained 2 new members...
in 2000 we had approx. 40 new people turn up to the AGM, of which i beleive at least 20 have remained.
Of course our inclusion into the Guinness Book of Records most likely helped us considerably...
but it was good to have some positve feed back from a press release.
Good luck , Robert..we can only but try.
Sue Allen
yes, i to have experienced the odd article tampering by community newspapers, sometimes harmlessly, occassionaly giving false information.
Unfortunatly however, press releases are sent to the newspapers in good faith that a) they will print them (when you want) and b) that they don't masacre your lovingly worked text.
neither of these can be controlled by the author or theatre concerned.
The only way of guaranteeing that what you write will appear, in exactly the same way, is going to the great expense of having advertisments printed in the newspapers concerned.
Being non profit organisation, this is not possible for us theatre groups.
So i would have to agree with Grant, that concentration on the exsisting market, OUR PATRONS, and aiming our publicity at them is the most important aspect of theatre publicity.
However i still persist with my press releases, and shot that shot gun into the air...you never know what you might hit...
One positive example is Acorn's last turn out at our AGM.
As with the year before, i wrote an article for the community newspapers, hoping to inject some new blood into our club. In 1999 we gained 2 new members...
in 2000 we had approx. 40 new people turn up to the AGM, of which i beleive at least 20 have remained.
Of course our inclusion into the Guinness Book of Records most likely helped us considerably...
but it was good to have some positve feed back from a press release.
Good luck , Robert..we can only but try.
Sue Allen