2012/2013 NZ summer series

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by socram

We currently have both Auckland Sunday papers.

The Star Times had a small piece about the ST practice placings in Ruapuna.

The Herald - nil.

Tier One at Taupo - nil in both papers.

Bearing in mind that Auckland isn't exactly a milion miles away from Taupo and if Aucklanders (I'm talking here about the casuals, not the dedicated) don't see any mention in the Sunday papers, they certainly aren't going to be prompted to support the events.

I am not talking here about paid advertising, I am talking about the journalism aspect and it appears that Tier One racing doesn't even rate a mention by the sports editor, or, the MSNZ Press Office isn't doing its job, or it is, but they have no rapport with the Auckland Press on Motorsport matters.

We all know that if there is zero press coverage, casuals will never go, or has the debacle of lack lustre 8 car grids on TV, totally put off not just spectators, but also the press? Are we seen as an even more minor sport now than we ever were?

In order to have press coverage, you've got to get a reporter out there, which costs money and then probably connect with a photographer to get photos. Unless there is someone out there freelancing and trying to sell the story, editors will probably stick with the easy local stick and ball sports.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by socram

Sadly, Woolley, it has always been so. I collected every single press cutting from the Daily Mirror in my early teens. The only major coverage was when an F1 driver had a crash, especially a Brit.
I remember being involved with the re-opening of Donington in 1977. Hardly rated a mention in the press, not even the local press.
I never expected anything any different from our Auckland based NZ papers, but as Southern Man points out, even the South Island, hosting what is arguably one of the top few meetings of the year, doesn't get space.

I guess that to be a successful sports editor, you only have to allocate 98% of your space to soccer/rugby, cricket and dogmeat racing, to appease the masses.

What it will come down to, if series want print/online coverage, is for the series to take a gamble on hiring someone to write the stories and get the pics and video and then try to sell it to all the media outlets. That's what goes on in the USA outside of Nascar.

Expecting a news editor to rack up expenses or to send people out to these events is unrealistic in this world today.

[Goat Boy]

There is now something in the Herald online about Barg's win. I suspect they waited for the press release from whomsoever involved rather than sending a reporter there.

[Goat Boy]

Actually I read the articles, they are both from before the weekend so there is not a jot there, how useless are they?

[MacrosNZ]

Papers are a thing of the past. If I want motorsport news I read something like speedcafe.

[tacmacnzl]

Originally Posted by MacrosNZ

Papers are a thing of the past. If I want motorsport news I read something like speedcafe.

I think the issue is getting news about the racing across to the average casual sports punter.

While traditional newspapers are in major freefall, they still reach a large audience of casual punters than a specialist publication like speedcafe.

[Goat Boy]

Besides, Speedcafe has been known to be full of complete rubbish at times, oh wait, hang on a minute...

[Southern Man]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

In order to have press coverage, you've got to get a reporter out there, which costs money and then probably connect with a photographer to get photos. Unless there is someone out there freelancing and trying to sell the story, editors will probably stick with the easy local stick and ball sports.

Sunshine, we even have the local reporter/s riding in the cars during pre event testing and we do get great LOCAL coverage but this simply does not translate into NATIONAL coverage simply because of head office policy and it is not just motorsport that is affected, it is just about every sport

[Goat Boy]

Originally Posted by Southern Man

Sunshine, we even have the local reporter/s riding in the cars during pre event testing and we do get great LOCAL coverage but this simply does not translate into NATIONAL coverage simply because of head office policy and it is not just motorsport that is affected, it is just about every sport

Yes it really is a struggle - change must occur from the bottom I think, so if the news won't come to you then you have to get out to the people with what you're doing. The ST idea of visiting schools where an event is taking place is a great idea, they need to do that every time for every round, their FB page said they had an extra 3500 people there on Saturday as a result, and they only visited two schools!

Once you have awareness and interest from the public, the demand should drive the end product in the media. In theory at least.

[Chappelli]

Originally Posted by Southern Man

Sunshine, we even have the local reporter/s riding in the cars during pre event testing and we do get great LOCAL coverage but this simply does not translate into NATIONAL coverage simply because of head office policy and it is not just motorsport that is affected, it is just about every sport

Sounds like an easy solution... Instead of inviting the low hanging fruit who'll turn up to the opening of an envelope, you need to get the policy makers from head office along for a ride....

[raymond]

Originally Posted by Goat Boy

Yes it really is a struggle - change must occur from the bottom I think, so if the news won't come to you then you have to get out to the people with what you're doing. The ST idea of visiting schools where an event is taking place is a great idea, they need to do that every time for every round, their FB page said they had an extra 3500 people there on Saturday as a result, and they only visited two schools!

Once you have awareness and interest from the public, the demand should drive the end product in the media. In theory at least.

Hi Mr. Goat

Visiting schools for promo purposes in motorsport is nothing new. The NZRC was doing 10 years ago as part of a road safety initiative at each round of the Championship. Every Championship competitor was allocated a school (2 or 3 per school) and they took kids to school in the Rally car, talked at the assembly and handed out posters. Didnt have to hand out free tickets as watching Rallying is free!

[NZSTfan]

I wish i'd got taken to school in a Rally car

Instead i got taken to school in either a canvas roof mk 2 escort, or the banana car, which was a fetching bright yellow siera wagon...eeeuugghh.

My parents had (and still have) zero taste when it comes to cars

[Goat Boy]

A girl I once knew used to get a lift to school in the mornings with Greg Murphy! Said he drove like a maniac...

[Southern Man]

Originally Posted by Chappelli

Sounds like an easy solution... Instead of inviting the low hanging fruit who'll turn up to the opening of an envelope, you need to get the policy makers from head office along for a ride....

Then best the Aucklanders get together and make it happen as that is where the head sheds are located

[GT 86]

Well I see MSNZ and the official blue shirt brigade may have shot themselves in the foot at Taupo with the BMW guys who turned up in droves. The BMW classes were on good form there with plenty of biff and bash however the Blue shirts saw this as a chance to inject some money into the coffers and nailed a number of them. There was a que outside Robo's office. I understand the BMW's want nothing more to do with a Tier 1 event again.

[bluespur]

Bmw were managed by the Clerk of the Course, not by Robbo and his blue shirts.

Understand penalties were for breaches of standard racing rules.

What is the problem with that?

[Southern Man]

Originally Posted by GT 86

as a chance to inject some money into the coffers .

Actually the funds collected from fines finds its way into a pool of money that is distributed back to competitors or technicians by way of Scholarships. They do not go into the general fund.

[GT 86]

My apologies if I have got it wrong. Are the group happy with the way they were handled?

SM, spare me the BS on fines going back into the sport. Have you got proof. Has it changed from 06-07 when 60k was collected and stephen kennedy and kerry cooper couldnt get their stories to sync to the media?

[smokin'joe]

Originally Posted by bluespur

Bmw were managed by the Clerk of the Course, not by Robbo and his blue shirts.

Understand penalties were for breaches of standard racing rules.

What is the problem with that?

come on now, you can't come on here and let the truth get in the way of an alleged scandal that GT86 is trying so hard to create.

[raymond]

Originally Posted by GT 86

My apologies if I have got it wrong. Are the group happy with the way they were handled?

SM, spare me the BS on fines going back into the sport. Have you got proof. Has it changed from 06-07 when 60k was collected and stephen kennedy and kerry cooper couldnt get their stories to sync to the media?

Well GT86, spare me your attempt at throwing the mud but;All fine monies go to the Scholarships/Academy and towards the cost of the Annual Awards function. Yes I have proof. Look at the AGCM balance sheets

Were the BMW group happy with the way they were handled?? I dont know; but probably the ones that were the victims of the poor driving standards were, but the causes of the problems would never be at fault would they, and would never moan to all and sundry regarding how badly treated they have been, would they....

[promax]

Originally Posted by smokin'joe

come on now, you can't come on here and let the truth get in the way of an alleged scandal that GT86 is trying so hard to create.

hopefully this isn't another case of a current member using a different profile/user name to cause trouble.

it's been rather peaceful in here since everything was moved to the new NZ section

[NZSTfan]

I agree promax, it has been quite peacefull for some time on here now (some would say a tad boring but meh).

Its like we've got our own little naughty boys corner.

One day they may let us out again...heaven forbid

[Swedish Brick]

Its quite telling those who no longer post isn't it

[Southern Man]

Originally Posted by Swedish Brick

Its quite telling those who no longer post isn't it

Sure as hell is, I guess that there must be a media personal blackout on here

[smokin'joe]

Originally Posted by Sommersby

Nothing that affects me.

good to see you back, maybe ? been browsing anonymously? no activity since the 'outage'?

shame the post was deleted, i tried to thank Nigel for posting series points, as he said he would when he came a cropper, so will thank you instead.
good effort, made up for a mundane race event.