UNBELIEVABLE 'The Times'

[The_Gaffer]

Some organisations in Malta are more equal to others, according to the local daily 'The Times'

Yesterday, centre page, double page spread, was a full article and accompanying pictures of an event held recently by a fishing club.  The event was for charity, and in all some 80 fisherman participated in this event.  The event managed to donate €2000 to charity.

In June this year, the Malta Fishing Forum in collaboration with the Federazjoni Sajjieda Delletanti Maltin organised the first ever National Big Game Fishing Tournament.  In all, over 90 boats registered for the event, and around 500 fishermen took part.  We managed to donate something in the region of €15,000 to charity.  

We invited 'The Times' together with all other printed media to the press conference, but unfortunately they did not turn up.  We contacted 'The Times' about their absence, and they assured us that if we sent them a press release, they would print it.  We sent a full press release, together with the Press CD which we launched during the press conference.   We got a very small paragraph mention in 'The Sunday Times' tucked away in the back pages the following week, and a quarter page article which was heavily edited (I know, because I wrote the article myself) mention a few days before the event.  We got nothing from 'The Times' about this national event in terms of coverage, no reporting during the tournament, and certaily no coverage during the presentation.  


I'll leave it up to you readers to arrive at your own conclusions

[placebo]

sadly it is who you know in this country ..... eventually the major of BKara who is very well known in Malta was into this event and i think he made all PR with media. .... But we must all be grateful that such space was awarded locally on a major newspaper for Sport Fishing. I face this everytime in KSFA as i do not hold very strong relationships with media due to fishing time ......... I suggest you invest in good PR thinking next time around but do not blame how it is in Malta as it is very difficult to change

[The_Gaffer]

2 wrongs never make a right Placebo.  So I'm not complaining about the coverage provided to thsi organisation.  Interesting to read about the mayor of B'Kara.  I live in B'Kara myself, so that was a good piece of info.  I am though drawing the attention of the members here that as you rightly put it yourself...Its who you know that matters, and not what you have to offer!!!!

[busumark]

at least Robby got a very nice picture

[skip]

Robby did indeed get a nice picture which was great to see, and certainly well done for the event organisation. At least someone in the sports fishing community got a decent mention.

Interesting to note as well that potentially the Mayor of B'Kara is of more interest to the Times than the President of Malta who extended his patronage to our event this summer. Given that in my opinion so much of the content in the Times of Malta is utter rubbish, is it asking so much to get some half decent coverage and support for anything that isn't accompanied by a paid advert or football related!

[baghira]

Corruption in Malta prevails.....

Even thou I try hard to abide/respect/and thrust I many times give up......
Nothing is done without a purpose..

[yogi]

what is important is the outcome , the competitors had a grate time fishing and a decent  15k donation was given to charity and from my perspective this is all that matters , we shall not give much importance to media , considering how it works. 

[placebo]

mela .... that should be the correct spirit ...... but think about having good contacts in PR next time around ..... still it's a bit of long way for the maltese people in general to approve fishing as a sport in Malta. Unfortunately anglers are still considered as hunters in our country ..... so you have to push all the time and then maybe you achieve that little!

[The_Gaffer]

@ yogi et al

I think Nick nailed it in his post.  We all know who the Mayor of B'kara is.  I bet 'The Times' knows too.  I've been a loyal reader of 'The Times' since I was 8yrs old, that 40 yr relationship ended on Monday 19 December 2011.  I will never look at that rag again for the rest of my life.

I called 'the Times' on Monday and asked to speak to the editor.  His secretary took the call, and after listening to what I had to say, asked for my contact details and assured me the editor would return my call yesterday.  Surprise surprise, I recieved no call from 'the Times'. 

Why should we think about having good contacts in PR, when this was a NATIONAL EVENT, for crying out loud.  A National event with the extended patronage of The President of the Republic of Malta.  A unique event which brough the 2 largest fishing organisations in Malta working hand in hand to the benefit of the fishing society in general and a noble charitable institution. 

I have a feeling that I know why we were not given the appropriate coverage.  Here's my side:

A few months before the event, Nick, myself and a few others met in a hotel in central Malta to discuss the event.  Our main item on the agenda at that time was the magazine and advertisment, sponsors, etc.  At one point I recieved a call from an advertising exec from 'The Times'.  She was enquiring about our event, but then went into the usual SALES PITCH.  The Times was about to issue a marine related centre cover and she was actually asking me to approach our sponsors to advertise on this centre cover!.  More so, she pitched it so well, that she left me with the impression that if we managed to persuade any of our sponsors to advertise on 'The Times', then the Times would reciprocate this by giving us adequate coverage.  UNBELIEVABLE, I thought to myself.  How low can some rags go to sell advertising.  So I was supposed to milk the event sponsors dry into accepting to advertise on 'the Times' in return for coverage of the event!

Phewww, UNBELIEVABLE

[yogi]

manafx kif, but i am not surprised , pero i did not think the times was so cash oriented !!

[twoutes]

Sounds like a case of  'You scratch my back...l'll scratch your back'

I'd be happier with the fact that soo much good was done with the money (15,000) that was raised for charity.

Media....They are all the same. It always benifits them some way or another.

[Granitu]

times of malta not cash oriented,

Wake up! everytime there is a big lottery jackpot they try their luck in online advertising.

TOM is cash driven, it is a profit organisation. TOM is meant to earn money ultimately.....