8.12.08

PRESSING ISSUES...UPDATE

You will recall that I recently bored on at great length about the arrangement the Press Association has come to with worldsnooker.com for news and information at the expense of the regular freelance journalists who have been providing this service for 44 years.

This arrangement or ‘enhanced relationship’ (as the PA described it) began last Friday, since when the PA has not written a single word on the Maplin UK Championship qualifiers.

Furthermore, it has not sent out a single result from the qualifiers to its hundreds of clients – newspapers, TV and radio – who all pay for the service.

Put simply, this means that not a solitary result has appeared in any newspaper anywhere in the world for the last three days unless those papers have themselves tracked them down.

This period includes John Parrott’s withdrawal, Jimmy White’s narrow defeat, Ricky Walden’s ’16-red’ total clearance and victories for Mark Williams and Ken Doherty – all good stories.

A small number of papers have carried reports here and there from freelancers but the PA has ignored the qualifiers of a ranking event for the first time ever.

Why carry results on the first two qualifying rounds but not the last two?

It goes against the PA’s promise that they would not be reducing their coverage.

When the ‘enhanced relationship’ with World Snooker was arranged the governing body did not seek any assurances as to the scope or nature of the coverage or even if there would be any at all.

What do Maplin make of this, bearing in mind they have been denied coverage in the national and regional press?

Before this ‘enhanced relationship’ started the game was struggling for coverage as it was. Now, there is even less.

Well done everybody.

22 comments:

Dave H said...

Well what do you know? Within an hour of this post appearing the PA belatedly put yesterday's results on its website (presumably after a call from World Snooker).

They have decided Gerard Greene is English, even though he is registered to represent Northern Ireland.

stuartfanning said...

Gerald Greene Lives in England and has done so for many years, So you can forgive the PA that.

On the main issue Dave why don't you contact the Maplin Press Office and bring it to their attention?

Dave H said...

Stuart - I'm a mere footsoldier in the Snooker Writers Association but rest assured our officers are on the case

Anonymous said...

I can assure you Maplin are more interested in their television coverage over the next week rather than some poxy lines at the back of a newspaper that nobody ever reads. Lets get real here.

Dave H said...

Thanks for your support, Rich

Anonymous said...

a sponsor expects every bit of coverage they can get- many people (unlike me) do not have the internet and still scour the small print for results.
John H

jamie brannon said...

Ceefax must get their results from the same people as their have been no updates since Thursday. Plus the premier league is poorly reported. Ashame about Jimmy he would have played Ronnie in round 1.

Anonymous said...

With regards Maplin that's their primary interest, that's why they've paid their money.

The press coverage will increase during the tournament proper, if it doesn't then yes there's a problem. However, the qualifiers only really interest the hardcore anoraks such as ourselves and I think we have to be realistic about this. Therefore the PA have decided this is the area they are cutting back on. I do wonder if they've made cutbacks in any other sports. Perhaps you might know Dave?

Anonymous said...

So, i'll bet Party Gaming will be happy with the coverage they did'nt get along with Maplin.

I'd liken World Snooker to imbeciles.........




but I don't want to dis-respect good honest hardworking imbeciles !

Anonymous said...

I don't think World Snooker care about the Party Gaming Premier League to be honest as it's not their event.

Anonymous said...

Rich P said: "I don't think World Snooker care about the Party Gaming Premier League to be honest as it's not their event."

and there lies the problem, World Snooker should care about snooker full stop. Regrettably, they constantly give the impression that they care very little about the sport as a whole and more about what "they" can get out of it.

Anonymous said...

What a sad story this is. Is there any chance of the new players association making some difference in regards to rebuild World Snooker and remove those who currently (fail to) run the sport?

Something surely needs to change. I agree with Steve: they 'should care about snooker full stop'. Damn right.

Anonymous said...

Steve said...

And there lies the problem, World Snooker should care about snooker full stop. Regrettably, they constantly give the impression that they care very little about the sport as a whole and more about what "they" can get out of it.

Ain't that the truth

Author of "Imbeciles" post

Anonymous said...

I can assure Rich P that Maplin, like all sponsors will avidly count every name mention in all media.

As Dave has also done over the years, one of the duties we've performed at various times is the "cuttings" and that is to clip every news cutting and highlight the sponsors name.

If they don't like what they (don't) see, then bye bye sponsorship.

So it would serve WSA well to remember that they rely on all these column inches in order to attract sponsors.

It wasn't only PA who totally ignored the UK qualifiers over the weekend, not a single word appeared on WSA own site, despite all those great names and stories involved.

Anonymous said...

Hi Dave,

I will do my usual long post soon, but here's quicky for you.

Do you know what happened to Bruce ? who used to be a PA Sport but was on the snooker media circuit?

And you know when its got bad for the WPBSA when a press officer for said organisation is giving the winning trophy over to the winner.

Thanks, Joe

Anonymous said...

As someone who runs a business (albeit on a smaller scale that would consider snooker sponsorship), I cannot help but think that no company in their right mind would deal with WSA on a commercial basis.

Having once been a regular on the tour (not as a player), I saw all the work done by the likes of Phil Yates, David Hendon and the like, and wonder if snooker is basically now on a 'Suicide Mission'.

Darts were well on their backsides before Mr Hearn came to their rescue (and yes, it WAS a rescue), and look at them now.

Lets look at one item addressed by WSA. The long debated 'Waistcoat' issue. What did WSA come up with? A red shirt and a blue shirt! Basically, they copied what Bowls (A major player in world sport? - sarc.) had been doing for years before. Hardly original eh?

To move this sport forward you need people like Hearn at the helm, with the likes of Brandon Parker working along side.

Author of "Imbeciles" post

Dave H said...

Joe - Bruce now lives in America and works as a copywriter

Anonymous said...

Janie when I was refering to the poxy lines at the back of the paper I meant the results from the qualifiers, i didn't mean any physical reporting of the event. Maplin couldn't give two hoots about the qualifying results. Next week is when their exposure starts and yes they'll expect plenty of coverage both on the tv and in the paper. It will be interesting to see how PA and WSA go about it.

Anonymous said...

My Dad has been checking Text every day for the UK results and has to now rely on ringing me to get them off Global Snooker instead.

Thank goodness for Global Snooker.

Anonymous said...

"Gerald Greene Lives in England and has done so for many years, So you can forgive the PA that."

What next? Rory McLeod has a Scottish-sounding name, so lets group him with Hendry, Higgins, Maguire and the likes?

As for Maplin, they'll take what they get in terms of coverage before they walk.

And Janie, it's fine saying you do cuttings. But well run sports employ a proper cuttings service so the can do proper media evaluations.

But why would you want to draw attention to the lack of exposure you are now receiving?

stuartfanning said...

Hendry, Higgins and Maguire still live in Scotland. Gerard Green hasn't lived in N Ireland for many many years, so that's why I think the PA can be forgiven in this instance.

Anonymous said...

Sheikh Ebdon is a new one...