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Lobbying for front-page coverage

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Smallpotatoes, Jul 16, 2006.

  1. Smallpotatoes

    Smallpotatoes Well-Known Member

    When somebody asks that a story about their team go on the front page, not just of sports, but of the whole paper, how seriously do you take such requests?
     
  2. tonysoprano

    tonysoprano Member

    I ignore them.
     
  3. DyePack

    DyePack New Member

    I laugh heartily within seconds while in their presence.
     
  4. The Q Man

    The Q Man Member

    I've actually been on both of the newspaper sides of this argument. In both cases, you'd better be doing something pretty special
    First the small newspaper side. When working my way through college, I worked for the local daily (10,000 circ.) instead of the college paper. As it turned out, my second year at the local paper, the town's high school team ended a 36-game, four-year long losing streak by winning its first game of the year. That went on the front page of the paper.
    The team kept winning and for three more weeks was on the front page of sports. By Week 5, the decision was made by the SE and the Publisher to put the gamers on A1. And there they stayed as team went from being 0-36 to 9-0 in one year. I didn't agree with it, but I understand why it was done.
    At my current paper, a 70 k daily, the only way a sports story is going out front is if it's something ridiculously special. Like Bradley advancing to Sweet 16 or the local baseball team that won a state title with a 40-2 record thanks to its ace pitcher, who ended up being the Yankees third-round draft pick.
     
  5. lono

    lono Active Member

    Thank them politely but give them no encouragement whatsoever that it'll actually happen.
     
  6. Appgrad05

    Appgrad05 Active Member

    Quite simple:

    'I don't make those decisions."

    Because you don't, if sports goes on A1 it's coming from the editor and/or publisher.
     
  7. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    Front page? Shit.

    Getting our night news guy to even tease sports on A1 is like asking Genghis Khan to kindly allow that chariot of virgin brides safe passage through Khyber Pass. Ain't happening.
     
  8. spaceman

    spaceman Active Member

    a lot of places you wouldn't want your copy within 10 miles of A1, because it means another level of dumb-ass questions and some news dweeb who doesn't know shit about sports trying to adapt it to the mainstream reader.

    pul-eeeze, the LAST place you want to be is A1.
     
  9. SF_Express

    SF_Express Active Member

    I always had a love/hate relationship with big sports stories appearing on 1A.

    Being in the mix as part of the big news of the day validated what sports was doing, and the fact they wanted our stuff sometimes could be gratifying.

    Sometimes -- as with a franchise threatening to move or lobbying for a stadium or whatever -- it simply belonged there.

    But while I also learned something from it, the editing process for a sports 1A story could be a pain in the ass.
     
  10. leo1

    leo1 Active Member

    small potatoes, i'd think you'd take all request seriously in the sense of politely listening and then considering them. but i know you're a veteran reporter/editor, small potatoes, so it should take you about two seconds to decide whether the request is worth dismissing immediately or really thinking about it.
     
  11. awriter

    awriter Active Member

    It depends. What are they pitching for the cover?
     
  12. DyePack

    DyePack New Member

    I always enjoyed the A1 people who didn't follow Sports and wore it as a badge of honor.

    I headed off any number of mistakes when they were in the house. Finally missed one, though, and of course there was a lot of hand-wringing and finger-pointing.

    One time when I didn't work, they managed to reverse the winner and loser of an important in-state game.
     
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