RE: PH needs a BTCC reporter!
Discussion
People do care, you only have to look at the comments on just about every motor racing thread where PH get lambasted for incorrect/poor reporting. And people even pay to read about such things in magazines and websites. If that all gets undermined (and I think this sort of thing does undermine it) then members of the public will have lower quality material to inform them of something they might follow passionately. That is a bad thing.
And the reality is that most people in the media room won't necessarily be making a great deal of money from it, or even contributing towards their earnings, but they will at least be looking to recover expenses from attending and following the circus, getting something back from the hours and hours of work pacing the paddock, the stress and intensity of watching the race and noting down all key facts and then the many hours trying to put it all into concise but entertaining words.
Again, if a series partner like PH doesn't even do the series justice with a proper reporter, it really does undermine all of that too.
And the reality is that most people in the media room won't necessarily be making a great deal of money from it, or even contributing towards their earnings, but they will at least be looking to recover expenses from attending and following the circus, getting something back from the hours and hours of work pacing the paddock, the stress and intensity of watching the race and noting down all key facts and then the many hours trying to put it all into concise but entertaining words.
Again, if a series partner like PH doesn't even do the series justice with a proper reporter, it really does undermine all of that too.
DJRC said:
But we all know ph has st reporting and journalism. Nobody comes here for that anyway!
But you do realise that if everyone gives up or is forced to give up (due to media avoiding paying them), then you won't have anywhere to go to read about it, so you do care really? Or don't you care about reading about motorsport at all?zebedee said:
People do care, you only have to look at the comments on just about every motor racing thread where PH get lambasted for incorrect/poor reporting. And people even pay to read about such things in magazines and websites. If that all gets undermined (and I think this sort of thing does undermine it) then members of the public will have lower quality material to inform them of something they might follow passionately. That is a bad thing.
And the reality is that most people in the media room won't necessarily be making a great deal of money from it, or even contributing towards their earnings, but they will at least be looking to recover expenses from attending and following the circus, getting something back from the hours and hours of work pacing the paddock, the stress and intensity of watching the race and noting down all key facts and then the many hours trying to put it all into concise but entertaining words.
Again, if a series partner like PH doesn't even do the series justice with a proper reporter, it really does undermine all of that too.
I think you (and others) are taking this a little too seriously.And the reality is that most people in the media room won't necessarily be making a great deal of money from it, or even contributing towards their earnings, but they will at least be looking to recover expenses from attending and following the circus, getting something back from the hours and hours of work pacing the paddock, the stress and intensity of watching the race and noting down all key facts and then the many hours trying to put it all into concise but entertaining words.
Again, if a series partner like PH doesn't even do the series justice with a proper reporter, it really does undermine all of that too.
As commented above, it's doubtful the reports will be of such a quality to worry the professionals at the major publications, nor in many cases the bloggers doing it from the 'wrong' side of the fence.
Those seeking quality journalism and in-depth blow-by-blow accounts of each race will do so in their usual place, PH will have a few heavily subbed articles written by star-struck punters which, in my view will not undermine any of the massive body of output already there save perhaps for a few third-rate bloggers who aren't really adding much to the oeuvre anyway.
No-one's having the food taken from their children's mouths over this. It's a bit of fun and a different viewpoint of something that's already heavily covered.
zebedee said:
But you do realise that if everyone gives up or is forced to give up (due to media avoiding paying them), then you won't have anywhere to go to read about it, so you do care really? Or don't you care about reading about motorsport at all?
I care very little these days. I read Motorsport very rarely these days to be honest. I cant remember the last time I read Autosport. But there will always be motorsport reporting just as there always has been. Paid or unpaid.For someone like me, trying to get into Motorsport Journalism, and as all things with Motorsports (or actually most sports these days) it is very difficult to get into, something like this is perfect. Experiences like this don't come very often, and for some, they might use this experience to show what they can do whereas some might just explain what they did in the lunch break or whatnot.
I don't mean to undermine or upset other peoples points, but this is simply my opinion.
P.S. Maybe the reviews aren't good, but unless you give people the chance, we'll never know...
I don't mean to undermine or upset other peoples points, but this is simply my opinion.
P.S. Maybe the reviews aren't good, but unless you give people the chance, we'll never know...
Edited by danfilm007 on Wednesday 16th April 19:24
Mark Benson said:
I think you (and others) are taking this a little too seriously.
As commented above, it's doubtful the reports will be of such a quality to worry the professionals at the major publications, nor in many cases the bloggers doing it from the 'wrong' side of the fence.
Those seeking quality journalism and in-depth blow-by-blow accounts of each race will do so in their usual place, PH will have a few heavily subbed articles written by star-struck punters which, in my view will not undermine any of the massive body of output already there save perhaps for a few third-rate bloggers who aren't really adding much to the oeuvre anyway.
No-one's having the food taken from their children's mouths over this. It's a bit of fun and a different viewpoint of something that's already heavily covered.
If you wanted to provide a different viewpoint, take one of the many people on PH who actually fit the following criteria:As commented above, it's doubtful the reports will be of such a quality to worry the professionals at the major publications, nor in many cases the bloggers doing it from the 'wrong' side of the fence.
Those seeking quality journalism and in-depth blow-by-blow accounts of each race will do so in their usual place, PH will have a few heavily subbed articles written by star-struck punters which, in my view will not undermine any of the massive body of output already there save perhaps for a few third-rate bloggers who aren't really adding much to the oeuvre anyway.
No-one's having the food taken from their children's mouths over this. It's a bit of fun and a different viewpoint of something that's already heavily covered.
:: They can string a sentence or two together.
:: They are somewhat known in the paddock, because having a media ticket just gets you into the media centre. Having built relationships in the paddock gets you the better content.
:: Someone looking for and deserving of that breakthrough.
Any one of us working on websites outside of the Heymarket Group or its rivals would be perfectly able to work to a brief, PH tell us what they want editorially and we can produce the goods. Sending in a rank amateur is just risking getting nothing but guff from your reporter. You say that you can work with anything. Polishing a turd is all well and good, but in the end, it is still a turd.
I'm sat in front of my bookshelf right now. There's quite a spread. To give you examples, Tolstoy sits next to Ben Elton and Oscar Wilde sits next to one of the Harry Potter books.
Other than revealing that I'm rubbish at keeping books in alphabetical order, I do have a more serious point: there's room for the finely crafted and for the amateur. It's OK to appreciate Michelin star food and still crave a Big Mac once in a while; there's room in the same brain for enjoying an evening at the ballet as much as a Metallica gig.
Motoring journalism can be a fine art, as represented by LJK Setright's work for example. But there's space on the web and in print for an amateur's point of view too. Let's enjoy them both and stop getting in a tizz about who's a "real" journalist and who isn't. I somewhat doubt that Evo's writers are nervously eyeing their paypackets after seeing this opportunity advertised.
The only reason I won't be applying is that I can't be sure I'll be free on the weekends when BTCC is near me, or I'd be all over this like a rash. After reading this waffle, you may be relieved that I'm busy.
Tolstoy's rubbish by the way. But Oscar Wilde's pretty awesome.
Other than revealing that I'm rubbish at keeping books in alphabetical order, I do have a more serious point: there's room for the finely crafted and for the amateur. It's OK to appreciate Michelin star food and still crave a Big Mac once in a while; there's room in the same brain for enjoying an evening at the ballet as much as a Metallica gig.
Motoring journalism can be a fine art, as represented by LJK Setright's work for example. But there's space on the web and in print for an amateur's point of view too. Let's enjoy them both and stop getting in a tizz about who's a "real" journalist and who isn't. I somewhat doubt that Evo's writers are nervously eyeing their paypackets after seeing this opportunity advertised.
The only reason I won't be applying is that I can't be sure I'll be free on the weekends when BTCC is near me, or I'd be all over this like a rash. After reading this waffle, you may be relieved that I'm busy.
Tolstoy's rubbish by the way. But Oscar Wilde's pretty awesome.
DJRC said:
I care very little these days. I read Motorsport very rarely these days to be honest. I cant remember the last time I read Autosport. But there will always be motorsport reporting just as there always has been. Paid or unpaid.
there will, but what will be the point of it if no-one reads it as is so crap? Your comment about Autosport is probably a case in point. And that isn't to criticise all of its journos, some of which are really good, but their whole ethos of 'nothing matters outside of F1' renders such work pointless, because no-one buys it to read two paragraphs about the FIA WEC or half a page on the BTCC.After all the various arguments and counter-arguments, mine was the name out of the hat for Donington Park. I hope the report meets with your general approval and wish the successful candidates for the rest of the season all the very best. It's a fantastic opportunity and thanks to Matt and the team for asking me.
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