"The Press" Inside and Out
10/1/07 Terry Cullipher - KyHarnessRacing.com
10/1/07 Terry Cullipher - KyHarnessRacing.com
- Lexington Ky - In case you are wondering, when I
say "the press", I'm not talking about UK basketball.
Or, coach Rick Pitino and his full court press. I'm
talking about "the press". You know.....those people
that cover the sport of harness racing called "the
press". Or, "the press" that doesn't.
- If you have been around harness racing any length
of time, it doesn't take long to realize, that you can't
just open up your local newspaper and read about
the sport of harness racing. And on a day that you
do, you'll need to get out your scissors, so you can
cut and save that article. Because, you know it may
be a long time before you see another one like it.
- For those of us in the sport, we really don't
understand why........Why doesn't "the press" find
harness racing as fascinating as we do. Especially in
Lexington, horse capitol of the world for both
Thoroughbred and Standardbred. Just about any
day of the week, you can open your Lexington
newspaper, and you'll find something about
Thoroughbred racing. Probably, you have been
found asking yourself, "Why doesn't anyone write
about harness racing". And, it is now to the point,
that everyone has pretty much accepted it, 'the way
it is'. One reason.........they figure nobody outside
harness racing has any interest in our sport.
- I have come to realized, there are basically two types
of "the press" in harness racing. "The press" inside
harness racing and "the press" outside of harness
racing. "The press" inside harness racing cover the
sport of harness racing and that is basically all they
cover, nothing else. "The press" outside harness
racing cover everything from A to Z, including other
sports.
- Like most of you, I've always thought that "the
outside press" just chose not to cover the sport of
harness racing. Simply for lack of interest in our
sport. Recently, I have come to know, that is not the
case.
- Until recently, I couldn't understand why "the
outside press" had chosen not to cover our sport.
Does "the outside press" choose not to cover
harness racing? The answer to that question is....
yes and no. Not to confuse you here, but both of
these answers are right. Yes, it was the choice of
"the outside press", to stop TRYING to have
relations with "the racetrack". And no, it wasn't their
choice for "the racetrack" to cripple the relationship
with "the outside press".
- Unlike "the press" that is inside harness racing, "the
outside press" get to choose what to they write
about. And, it's real simple. If you keep knocking at
my door, asking me to let you in, and I continue to
"not answer", or keep turning you away. Eventually,
you're going to stop knocking at my door and go
elsewhere to find a door that will open for you.
That's "the outside press". Let them in, or you can
guarantee, they WILL go somewhere else. Don't
worry though...they won't forget you, they will just
forget to mention you.
- As part of "the press", we continue to build
relationships within "the press". With that, and from
what my experience has been, here are some
questions that I have tossed around?
- Why doesn't a track like (fill in the blank here),
have good relations with "the outside press"?
Or, do they?
- Why doesn't a track like (fill in the blank here),
have a publicity director building relationships
with "the outside press"? Or, do they?
- Why doesn't a track like (fill in the blank here),
want publicity from "the outside press"? Or, do
they?
- In corporate America, or the business world (both
big and small), outside of harness racing, people are
always looking for ways to get the attention of "the
press". It is a form of marketing....gorilla marketing,
and it's just good business. Taking a $1 and getting
a $100 worth of marketing.
Having a good relationship with "the outside press",
and using them to your advantage, is not only very
important, but also priceless.
