PH needs a BTCC reporter!
Watch the BTCC for free and get your name on PH; all the details here
From Knockhill to Thruxton and Snetterton to Croft, we need PHers at every event. Moreover, we want your views on each round, a PHers-eye view of what the BTCC is really like. A race report from a roving reporter if you will, detailing the weekend. We would need the words by the Monday lunchtime after the race.
If that sounds like something you would be interested in, let us know! The list of rounds and dates is below. Send me a direct message through PH with your name and the round you wish to attend in the subject line and the winner will be randomly selected from those entered. We'll chuck all the names in a hat.
We appreciate it is a little late for this Easter weekend but, if there's nothing planned (or you want to get out of those plans!), a pair of tickets for Donington is ready to be given away. Please note they are not separate tickets so the prize will be given to one winner who can then take someone with them.
Meetings here:
Donington - Apr 19-20
Thruxton - May 3-4
Oulton Park - June 7-8
Croft - Jun 28-29
Snetterton - Aug 2-3
Knockhill - Aug 23-24
Rockingham - Sep 6-7
Silverstone - Sep 27-28
Brands Hatch GP - Oct 11-12
Its a bit demeaning to those trying to make a living out of reportng too.
Its a bit demeaning to those trying to make a living out of reportng too.
Demeaning? Not really, we've been doing this sort of thing (on and off) for years and these days bloggers carry as much weight as a trained journo. Have you seen press trips? 50/50 split now.
Sometimes it does seem we can't win
Mind you, I can normally make something exciting happen simply by thinking 'right I just need to nip off for 5mins to go and buy a drink'.
Mind you, I can normally make something exciting happen simply by thinking 'right I just need to nip off for 5mins to go and buy a drink'.
Personally I like getting out to observe at the trackside but during a long day it's nice to sit down and take stock of everything and catch up on anything I might've missed!
You also find if it's raining that the media centre is busier than if it's a nice, sunny day!
Demeaning? Not really, we've been doing this sort of thing (on and off) for years and these days bloggers carry as much weight as a trained journo. Have you seen press trips? 50/50 split now.
Sometimes it does seem we can't win
I agree that you don't have to be trained to write a good report but if someone is blogging, for me that means no weight is attached at all, if it is on a reputable website and claims to be reporting, then I expect it to be actual reporting. You also have to be aware that there is a great deal of sniping about the articles PH puts up, so if the person writing the race reports doesn't know his stuff, there will be far worse comments to come!
What I mean by demeaning is that some taleneted people work really hard to try and secure a media pass from race organisers but don't succeed, and yet a partner website to a high-profile race series intends to get its coverage by handing someone drawn out of a hat a free pass.
A good halfway house would (IMHO) have been to make it a competition based on merit - make them write a commentary based on a youtube highlights link or something and choose the best.
A few reactions from social media:
"A properly bad move by @PistonHeads."
"Ahhh @PistonHeads… because paying for an actual journalist to work is just too damn hard."
"Could've been a great scholarship/new talent scheme, real missed opportunity."
"Oh my, this is terrible. Now billys don't even have to set up their own blog for a pass."
"Names out of a hat, too. Top quality guaranteed..."
"Wow. This is degrading. If my independent Web site that launched less than eight months ago, can pay writers, how in the world can they not? And clearly going about it the wrong way, waving a free credential in return for a report. Unbelievable!"
I agree with them all.
Trying to get a decent photograph of the racing while making notes on what s going on is no picnic either. I enjoyed the experience, but had to watch the race again on TV as I had missed loads of the 'action' that had happened on the far side of the circuit.
This is not necessarily about about saving the three pounds fifty that PH would otherwise have paid a "proper" hack. A fan of the sport could give an alternative view to that of a jaded journo .... a fresh different perspective perhaps. Or just a different take to the usual stuff.
You never know .... it could be fun ..... and produce something of real interest.
Bring it on!
A few reactions from social media:
"A properly bad move by @PistonHeads."
"Ahhh @PistonHeads… because paying for an actual journalist to work is just too damn hard."
"Could've been a great scholarship/new talent scheme, real missed opportunity."
"Oh my, this is terrible. Now billys don't even have to set up their own blog for a pass."
"Names out of a hat, too. Top quality guaranteed..."
"Wow. This is degrading. If my independent Web site that launched less than eight months ago, can pay writers, how in the world can they not? And clearly going about it the wrong way, waving a free credential in return for a report. Unbelievable!"
I agree with them all.
"Great way of spotting raw talent PH!"
"An untapped resource for finding new reporters, sweet move!"
Etc etc...
Disagree with the comments saying is a bad idea. How come having someone doing it for the sake of it for a day endanger the livelihood of current professional journos? Only if they're really ste. Besides there's so many people trackside and the venues rarely have the same folks.
Also top lurking to the gentleman a few posts above .
Disagree with the comments saying is a bad idea. How come having someone doing it for the sake of it for a day endanger the livelihood of current professional journos? Only if they're really ste. Besides there's so many people trackside and the venues rarely have the same folks.
Also top lurking to the gentleman a few posts above .
I've had media passes to plenty of events in the past, mainly to help fuel my own photography hobby and gain a better vantage point. They've always been somewhat 'blagged' though in the past
This thread is an opportunity for some people to go to the BTCC, take some photos, experience the atmosphere, and come back and tell us all about it.
A few reactions from social media:
"A properly bad move by @PistonHeads."
"Ahhh @PistonHeads… because paying for an actual journalist to work is just too damn hard."
"Could've been a great scholarship/new talent scheme, real missed opportunity."
"Oh my, this is terrible. Now billys don't even have to set up their own blog for a pass."
"Names out of a hat, too. Top quality guaranteed..."
"Wow. This is degrading. If my independent Web site that launched less than eight months ago, can pay writers, how in the world can they not? And clearly going about it the wrong way, waving a free credential in return for a report. Unbelievable!"
I agree with them all.
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