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To run or to ignore

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by flexmaster33, Mar 22, 2011.

  1. flexmaster33

    flexmaster33 Well-Known Member

    I think I've already got my answer, but wanted to have others weigh in.

    Local prep gets named "Athlete of the Month" by one of the local TV stations...is it worth repeating in some form in the newspaper, or is it a case of this other outlet honored your kid and that should be enough.


    Based simply on the above, I fall in the latter category for the most part, but may consider something in brief form on a slow day.

    Here's the additional info: I watch this station's weekly highlight show, saw this kid's presentation and let out an audible laugh. It's got to be one of those nomination things where no one responds, so any parent can't get their kid an award. The kid in question is a role player on a basketball team that just finished 1-23, he also plays football for a .500 team, although I can't even remember what position he plays and he also plays baseball...probably his best sport, but that season hadn't even started yet.
     
  2. Quakes

    Quakes Guest

    If they want to honor him, that's their business. That doesn't mean you have to honor him, or give him and the TV station reflective glory by mentioning the fact that they honored him. If it were a bigger deal -- like, say, ESPN or SI honoring him -- then it would be a story. But the fact that one of your regular local competitors featured a kid isn't news.
     
  3. HejiraHenry

    HejiraHenry Well-Known Member

    Swap a monthly ad in your paper with the TV station's athlete of the month for TV exposure of your all-area team or some such.
     
  4. Matt Stephens

    Matt Stephens Well-Known Member

    I don't think it's newsworthy enough to warrant its own story, but if you were writing a game preview, or something, and mentioned the kid, maybe you could throw in, "John Doe, who was named WKRP's Athlete of the Month in February, leads the team ... "
     
  5. Rhody31

    Rhody31 Well-Known Member

    Depends on your market. If the kid is a fringe athlete for the news station - putting you well out of the viewers they're trying to attract - perhaps.
    But if they're in your town, there's no point.
    Like someone mentioned, offer some sort of news swap with the TV station. Nine out of 10 times it's worthless, but every so often they feed you some info that you can chase - worked for me.
     
  6. HanSenSE

    HanSenSE Well-Known Member

    One of the local TV stations does a prep football highlight show in the fall, and they give their "team of the week" a pizza feed at a local parlor. By the strangest of coincidences, our photographers are busy when a local team is the winner. Another radio station which drifts into our area does an occasional "local superstar" feature and will occasionally spotlight a local athlete, and a coach our proud papa will call and want us to take a picture. Guess what? By the strangest of coincidences, our shooters are busy.

    In other words, the TV and radio guys get a free plug in our paper the same day they start promoting our paper on their newscast ... not a commercial on the newscast, but as part of the newscast along with the pet of the week and the Charlie Sheen updates (and read by the hot female anchor!). Since that's essentially what they're asking me to do, I want the same from them!
     
  7. Batman

    Batman Well-Known Member

    We get this all the time. The major metro up the road does their players of the week feature, along with the all-state team and occasionally one of our local kids is in there. Parents always mention it to us and say, "can you put that in the paper?"
    Standard response is always, "Sorry. They don't publish our all-county team. We're not publishing theirs." Seems to get the point across pretty clearly.

    And this is sort of a tangent, but it also both irks and tickles me when we're at a game and some coach asks if we can call the score in to the major metro or TV station.
     
  8. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    Do one, you have to do them all. And if you don't have a slow news day, tough shit; You ran Timmy's, you're obligated to run Tommy's.
    Besides, you've already run it. Where do you think the TV station got the information -- it's own hard work?
     
  9. Justin Biebler

    Justin Biebler Active Member

    Ignore. Most times the radio or TV outlet uses that "award" as an advertising promotion. It's usually the Podunk Pizza Palace Player of the Week. As soon as we get a slice of that pizza money, we'll run their player of the month, player of the week, etc. As a side note, it's amazing how seriously a lot of kids and parents take these awards. I see them on bios submitted by players and coaches all the time.
     
  10. KJIM

    KJIM Well-Known Member

    Don't make it a slow news day thing, unless you have a slow news day each time the award is given. In my mind, you can't run one award in February but skip the April because breaking news happened. You either commit to running it or not.

    Edit: slappy beat me to it.
     
  11. WolvEagle

    WolvEagle Well-Known Member

    Don't run it. You're not in the business of promoting other media outlets.
     
  12. txsportsscribe

    txsportsscribe Active Member

    but what about the kid's chances for a scholarship? you're ruining those by not running a story.
     
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