Does your local Newspaper cover Darts

DoubleTrouble · Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:43 am Post subject:

I had my interview with FoX last night and learned some things. It was the actual sports anchor who did the interview so I had a good opportunity to get a better feel for things that may or may not work.

1. Press Packets Work! - We put together a nice little package for them ahead of time. Things included were info on the WSOD, my bio, and info on the national/local dart scene. This worked good for what we wanted. The fact that he read everything and came in with a decent background knowledge really helped everything go smoothly.

2. Get Em Throwing! - I spent about 20minutes before we went on camera playing darts with him. I explained about how to play the game, scoring, and strategy. It also was a good time to invite him to a draw and let him know about the local dart scene. We also talked about national/international darts and he seemed really blown away.

3. Dont Be Afraid To Ask! - I asked him to participate in a local pro-am event with local celebrities, and media talent. He accepted in a second and even offered to recruit some of the local pro athletes and help coordinate with the charities as well.

I also talked about follow-ups closer to the air date. He offered to do live updates during the event and we talked about some website stuff as well. All and all it was a very positive experience.

When the piece aired they did a nice job editing. I was a bit dissapointed that there wasnt any mention of the dart league or how to get involved with darts included. But I think they really wanted the hometown boy playing for a million story and thats what it was.

Hopefully the time I spent with him will make them more receptive to covering darts related news/events in the future. This was the first time they have covered a darts story so it was my goal to get them as excited as possible about our sport. Time will tell...

Dart_talker · Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 8:19 am Post subject:

DoubleTrouble,

Great post! I'm glad that you interview went well! Do you have a copy of the tape or can it be seen on line? You must be quite the local hero!

Thanks for the insights, and if possible could you give us a push in the right direction on building a proper media kit?

Was also wondering if any of the international, national or local darts organizations helped in getting you prepared for the interview or building the press kit.

Well thanks again for keeping us updated on the adventures of a WSoD qualifier.
_________________
http://darttalk.blogspot.com
http://vcda.org/
http://twitter.com/darttalker
ADO Area 2-2 Facebook page

digger331 · Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 9:05 am Post subject:

way to go, D2T! I was hoping some of my advice would pay off.

yes, press kits work, but only if they're timely. Usually a journalist won;t look at an unsolicited press package too closely if he can't see a story in it somewhere, and even then, as you said, they only cover things from their slant.

but still, it's all good! Is there any way we can see a clip?

dt- a press package usually holds the basic 5Ws and an H (who, what, why. etc...) the trick is to put the right amount of material. Not to be sexist, but I always say that articles and press kits should be like a woman's skirt; long enough to cover everything, but short enough to keep things interesting.

I'm still working on my press package idea, but alas, press deadline calls and I wont have any free time until the weekend. (except for the occaisional breaktime spent here! Very Happy

lol)
_________________

Dart_talker · Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 1:42 pm Post subject:

Generally I write to papers that publish that cover darts to thank and encouage them, and when appropriate I leave make suggestions and comments. However I rarely get a response beyond a polite "thank you", but this time in additon to a thank you I got an alert about an upcoming story:

Dart_talker · Last edited by Dart_talker on Fri Sep 22, 2006 2:27 pm; edited 1 time in total

It's not often that our local news media pays much attention to our darts league, but this article could singal a change in attitude towards darts!

My Darts League gets some local news coverage (clickable link)

Grey_Owl · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 9:11 am Post subject:

First thing I did this morning was email Canada's equivalent to ESPN ... it's called TSN.

I suggested to them that John Part's victory should have been covered. Additionally I let them know that ESPN covered the WSOD and that darts will be the the next big thing like poker.

In Canada, we don't promote our Champions (unless it's Hockey or Olympics). Sheesh ... John played and won during our Canada day long weekend.

I also email a sport talk show program ... and told them to book John Part ... of course I told them why ... cross my fingers ... hope top hearing from him on the "Off the Record" program.

Boddington_Paul · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 9:39 am Post subject:

Dart_talker · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 11:08 am Post subject:

ChristinaO · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 12:47 pm Post subject:

I did a search on three local papers, the only one that has a dart related story was written in 1980! I have to go to the library and go thru the archives on microfich to find it!!

And to be honest, I'm not sure where to begin with getting "dart news" in the papers. It is rare that I read a mainstream newspaper unless something is pointed out to me, I hadn't read a newspaper article in months before the Darts for The Troops article was posted on SEWA. So this could sound really ignorant, but who would I contact at the paper?

Boddington_Paul · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:42 pm Post subject:

digger331 · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:59 pm Post subject:

Boddington_Paul · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 3:01 pm Post subject:

mark · Field Commander Joined: Apr 26, 2006 Posts: 2275

digger, Dart_talker, please post here if you develop a press package. I have sent emails to local sports desks without much luck. Perhaps a press package would produce more results.

Boddington_Paul · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 3:06 pm Post subject:

mark · Field Commander Joined: Apr 26, 2006 Posts: 2275

digger331 · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 5:38 pm Post subject:

a good press kit can be anywhere from a one-page news relese to a complete folder with news, pictures and stats. The key to a good press package is tailoring it to the needs of the media intended.

Small newspapers can get by with a small, 500-word article plus pics, while a large newspaper might require just a photo. A good rule of thumb is that the bigger the newspaper, the less room they have, but the better chance you have of getting it published.

All good newspapers will accept outside submission. The best thing to do is call the newspaper or television station (or look on their website) and ask what their submission policies are, and who to give them to.

I'd be happy to help anyone if necessary.
_________________

Dart_talker · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 7:52 pm Post subject:

mernst · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 8:28 pm Post subject:

www.sunherald.com is ours down here on the Gulfcoast of Mississippi
I guess they don't

Dart_talker · Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 2:30 pm Post subject:

This thread has been inactive for a while now, but a recent thread got me thinking about it again. Anyone have anything to add?
_________________
http://darttalk.blogspot.com
http://vcda.org/
http://twitter.com/darttalker
ADO Area 2-2 Facebook page

diddle · Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 4:20 pm Post subject:

Actually, our league officials were recently able to get a piece aired about the SF Open on a local television station, not a network affiliate or anything but still, it was good thing.
_________________
"I want to win everything this year. I am the new Nadal - and I am better looking than him!"

Phil Taylor

diddle · Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 4:59 pm Post subject:

all good ideas.
_________________
"I want to win everything this year. I am the new Nadal - and I am better looking than him!"

Phil Taylor

Dart_talker · Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 5:15 pm Post subject:

Charis · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:22 am Post subject:

Neither our local newspaper nor the quite important "Stuttgarter Zeitung" ever did publish anything about regional or international dart events. I think the local one would if there were local dart events.

But I was very astonished that neither the local paper of Hayling Island nor the local Newport paper published about the the tournaments that took place there.
I looked up the respective Friday and Monday papers but couldn`t find an announcement or any results. Perhaps all was in Thursday and Tuesdays papers? Wink

But nevertheless I think it`s astonishing that those events which such top darters are not more commentated.

Dart_talker · Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 11:00 am Post subject: