This Mornings paper.

Masada

I duno if anyone has mentioned this but its not the one about the army rifles in the news of the world.








Heres a close up of the actual write up.,
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3090/2897127702_c3b68af190_b.jpg

Fiach Dubh

They picked a bad example in the AK as all Airsoft AK's bar Real Swords Type 56 have longer receivers then real AK's to fit the gearbox. They also have a much fatter pistol grip to fit the motor.

I know Mr. and Ms. Joe Public wouldn't spot the difference but it's glaring to me.

Gatling

Fiach Dubh wrote: »

They picked a bad example in the AK as all Airsoft AK's bar Real Swords Type 56 have longer receivers then real AK's to fit the gearbox. They also have a much fatter pistol grip to fit the motor.

I know Mr. and Ms. Joe Public wouldn't spot the difference but it's glaring to me.

Thats no M16 either Shocking:eek::eek::eek:

andy_g

good point

weeder

Gatling wrote: »

Thats no M16 either Shocking:eek::eek::eek:

didnt think so when looking at it,I actually think this article is much better then others because it explains the IAA and exactly what they are doing.

Gatling

yeah which is quite unusal when you consider they dont normal mention the iaa at all ,
and they more or less printed fact

Masada

If ya read through it you can tell they get their info from here on boards., its pretty much a dead cert they read here.,

Evolute

Yeh they have the facts that they mention right but its not very informative it seems a bit more like scare mongering and getting the public to say "oh please think of the children".

Puding

Better article than most, most public would not be able to tell the difference from a couple of feet away and any responsible airsoft will admit this problem and agree that they could be used for 'nefarious' activity and so vigilance and common sense from retailers and the community as a whole is needed, and separating yourselves from the 'market stall' retailers that are mentioned within the article.

Saying all that a large stick could equally be used for nefarious means, and you can not really turn around and use a defense of well the ''body is shorter'' ''it has the wrong markings lol'' most people do know know what the hell we are talking about and would not care if they came face to face with one.

There is no point bearing your head in the sand and making excuses and petty arguments defending yourselves as they clearly look like a firearms to most of the population and would be mistake as one.

A better article than most and seems to have had more research than normal, and the issue raised is a good one. Would have liked a clarification from the garda about brandishing this items in public being classed as assault. The wording in regard to customs is what i find the worst, a lot of stuff is seized and released without and issue, but the working implys that the items are seized as there illegal because of silences and grenade launders, they do not mention that the silencers barely work and the grenade launcher is more akin to a shotgun for bb and a pipe from your local hardware store could make a better 'grenade launcher', working like that does give a state the image of a state of afairs that does not exist.

gandalf

Hmm they actually have most of the facts correct. Don't like the sensationlist jist of the article but can't fault most of the content. I doubt very much that a hardened criminal will use an airsoft gbb or aeg in a robbery as the real thing is apparently very close to the prices of the airsoft versions.

defenderdude

and when someone asks "what does the Irish Airsoft Association do for me...?"

read the article.

Well done IAA.



JOIN the Irish Airsoft Association. simple as

bullets

I'm actually surprised for a change that there was a valid attempt at
getting some facts across even if the article as a whole looked as though it
was designed to shock Joe Soap Public.

There are similar articles
on the papers at the moment bout Banning all Real steel Pistols across all Ireland and
similar reports but none of the papers cant seem to grasp the fact that banning anything is
not golng to solve crime, be it airsoft or real stuff.

It would be nice for a change if there was some PRO or positive article written up about
airsoft in the national papers. (it may not sell papers but...) it would be nice all the same.
Have someone try a skirmish, rather than have pictures of Guns guns guns, have pictures
of group shots, and people having Fun, Promoting that its a sport thats different to the norm, good for team work, its a way to keep fit,


~B

kevteljeur

It actually comes back to what some of the lads said in the locked thread about bad-mouthing the press: don't bad-mouth any group, because they do read it, and anyone can take a human reaction and hold a grudge on how they've been written about here. It also shows that putting support behind a single coherent body to speak for us, encouraging realistic remedies is probably the best antidote to sensationalism.


Apologies to the the mods for bringing up a locked issue.

Hivemind187

Interesting article.

Of course they didnt actually speak directly to us at all (the IAA) but that seems to be par for the course.

I wonder at the fact that it is the "crime correspondent" who is taking the credit for this article where no crime is being directly reported, no statistics are offered and only a vague reference to some naughty boys in Limerick (ahem... didnt we see this before?) is given to justify the "OMG - Dese tings are feckin' real lookin' lads! I could do de local posties wiv' dis!".

Jouornalism definitions (and this is not intended to be funny)

Garda source: Any garda anywhere. Doesnt have to be an officer and can infact be a receptionist. So long as they are a member of the Gardai it is not a lie.

Weapons Expert: Can be anyone when no qualification is given so long as they have a passing aquaintance with firearms or swords or knives etc. It may very well be that the journalist contacted a firearms dealership but it's just as likely that they simply asked "their cousin Bill down the pub who has a subscription to guns & ammo". Provided the source knows more about the subject than you do, it technically makesthem an expert.

Note on the text;

Just something that bugs me. Third paragraph;

"the weapon, which cost €200, can fire 6mm plastic pellets up to 50 meters - but is entirely legal" (my emphasis).

It bugs me because it is a single word. Three letters. It changes the entire tone of the paragraph (and all paragraphs after it).

"the weapon, which cost €200, can fire 6mm plastic pellets up to 50 meters - and is entirely legal" (my emphasis).

Very different tone. one is the "stop - hang on a minute, that 'aint right!" feeling and the other is a softer, more "hey, don't worry about it - let me tell you why" kind of vibe.

Paragraph 10

"Many of these guns are being used by people involved in the growing sport of airsoft"

It might seem like a minor point or just splitting hairs but this is symptomatic of the problem. It frames Airsoft the sport as merely a weird tag-along of this major issue of evil replicas in the hands of scumbags and not, as is the case, the original and legitimate purpose for their import and use in the Republic.

Paragraph 11

"This is where people dress up in camouflage gear and shoot at each other"

Ok, I am being a little pedantic about paragraphing and good grammar here but there is another point to be made. Starting a sentence with "This is where ..." is dismissive in tonality based in context. It rounds off the impression that the sport of airsoft is not what you should be worried about (good thing) but the fact that this kit is available at all (bad thing).

Overall, probably the best article we've had these past two years. It's much more fair than the usual muck we've seen flung. there are mjor issues I have with it (mainly to do with tone and not contacting the IAA for information or a statement) but the content of the text is far less inflamatory than some of the things we've seen.

... now if we could only convince the graphic designers and sub editors to stop showing real kit along side ours as though they are on equal footing.

MacAonghusa

The one thing that ALWAYS annoys me is the "can be used in bank robbery" (non)argument. Would they actually prefer real guns were used in robberies?

edit: Anyone (IAA?) writing in to the newspaper about this article?

Masada

I should have pointed out that this was on page 23 also, unlike previous "in your face" articles, so maybe all of about 15 people saw it,

They also didnt mention anything about the fact that the gun was sold to them "IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY" where airsoft has been legal for many years and they brought it into the republic.,

Hivemind187

vtec wrote: »

I should have pointed out that this was on page 23 also, unlike previous "in your face" articles, so maybe all of about 15 people saw it,

They also didnt mention anything about the fact that the gun was sold to them "IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY" where airsoft has been legal for many years and they brought it into the republic.,

Lol +1 ... I missed that one.

Hivemind187

MacAonghusa wrote: »

edit: Anyone (IAA?) writing in to the newspaper about this article?

To be honest it doesnt achieve anything. They receive it and then ignore it.

We might pop them over a short note pointing to the fact that they mentioned us but didnt bother to make contact with us in regards to the facts.

But essentialy what can we say? We all know the argument about whether its better to use airsofts or real guns but that isnt what they were driving at. they said that they "could be used". They could. There is no argument to that statement.

gandalf

Actually then it was purchased illegally wasn't it. Surely the VCRA forbits anyone other than licensed skirmishers to purchase an RIF? Why did this journalist not contact the PSNI for comment?

Nice spot vtec.

MacAonghusa

Hivemind187 wrote: »

To be honest it doesnt achieve anything. They receive it and then ignore it.
We might pop them over a short note pointing to the fact that they mentioned us but didnt bother to make contact with us in regards to the facts.
But essentialy what can we say? We all know the argument about whether its better to use airsofts or real guns but that isnt what they were driving at. they said that they "could be used". They could. There is no argument to that statement.

Fair enough.

Anyone ever invite a journo out for a skirmish in an effort to get a more positive write-up?

Hivemind187

gandalf wrote: »

Actually then it was purchased illegally wasn't it. Surely the VCRA forbits anyone other than licensed skirmishers to purchase an RIF? Why did this journalist not contact the PSNI for comment?

Nice spot vtec.

Well spotted Gandalf.

/goes to write a letter about that.

MacAonghusa

vtec wrote: »

They also didnt mention anything about the fact that the gun was sold to them "IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY" where airsoft has been legal for many years and they brought it into the republic.,

I spotted that alright so was surprised when they mentioned Gardaí and not PSNI. Odd.

Lemming

vtec wrote: »

I should have pointed out that this was on page 23 also, unlike previous "in your face" articles, so maybe all of about 15 people saw it,

They also didnt mention anything about the fact that the gun was sold to them "IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY" where airsoft has been legal for many years and they brought it into the republic.,

As soon as I spotted that in the article I immediately dismissed it [the article] as having any attempt at credibility. It's like going to Amsterdam and buying hash of some description, using it, and then writing about how it's illegal in Ireland or some such.

And it also looks like the VCRA was violated too. I'd wager that the stall it was bought from hasn't a clue what the VCRA is or implies.

Hivemind187

MacAonghusa wrote: »

Fair enough.

Anyone ever invite a journo out for a skirmish in an effort to get a more positive write-up?

Yep. We had RTE Radio out to HRTA one afternoon.

None of the others have taken us up on the offer.

Puding

i never even clicked about the location of purchace, very true they themselves broken the VCRA law in purchasing the item within the uk

amaughan

i thought discusing the iaa on these boards is not aloud on boards

Masada

That applies to queries you have with the IAA, they are the airsoft representitives and we are airsofters, so enivitably we will mention them from time to time.,

Puding

wow thats picky, you cannot really call it iaa discussion it was mentioned in passing as they are referred to in the article, by the letter of the charter could argue it but if you want to go that far and get the thread lock because of that I would see it as rather childish

2 cents

gandalf

amaughan wrote: »

i thought discusing the iaa on these boards is not aloud on boards

As this isn't specifically about the IAA its not an issue.

Any threads where specifics are being asked of the IAA or about the IAA should be addressed on their forums.

Now is there any reason why you didn't bother to report the posts you have problems with instead of posting on the thread, you've been around here long enough to realise thats how things work.

mcgovern

Just on the issue of them probably reading here, they most certainly do read forums and take quotes from them, usually entirely out of context, and paraphrased to make it seem a lot worse, so even on here, people should be careful what they say.

OzCam

MacAonghusa wrote: »

Anyone ever invite a journo out for a skirmish in an effort to get a more positive write-up?

Oh for God's sake, not again. We've been over this at least 3 times in the last month or two. Go away and read the previous threads on this subject.

Hive has answered this a million times already.

NakedHedgehog

Looking good so far for hitting the "one a week" rule for posting yet again about "airsoft in the media" there seems to be on this board.


Is this really post worthy?
Maybe the reporters are writting these articles to see what kind of reaction they can get out of us. Then they all meet in a pub every Friday and recount their favourite quotes from the week's replies to their article on boards.ie

I realize it's never going to end, but I'd really like it if there were less of these posts. In fact I'd love it if they were locked and buried and deleted as soon as they went up. After all - nothing new ever comes from it. EVER.

bullets

NakedHedgehog wrote: »

I realize it's never going to end, but I'd really like it if there were less of these posts. In fact I'd love it if they were locked and buried and deleted as soon as they went up. After all - nothing new ever comes from it. EVER.

Well I like when people post articles that appear on the media, and
I would be against locking such threads. If there is something on the news
or public media and people want to discuss (or bitch and moan)
then I would not be against it.

I plan on collecting articles and I dont often see some of the papers like
the Local papers that are not published nation wide that may feature stories
(Good or Bad) that involve Airsoft etc.. so if people post here where I mainly
read....or over on the IAA webpage they have a specific thread for it,
it helps me.

~B

Cuddlesworth

gandalf wrote: »

I doubt very much that a hardened criminal will use an airsoft gbb or aeg in a robbery as the real thing is apparently very close to the prices of the airsoft versions.

Depending on who you know, could end up cheaper. That's an amusing predicament.

ED E

defenderdude wrote: »

and when someone asks "what does the Irish Airsoft Association do for me...?"

read the article.

Well done IAA.



JOIN the Irish Airsoft Association. simple as

I would, cept I've always been a member

Yeah, this is why we need them, bullseye Aidan. Lads, you spend more on BBs than IAA membership costs anually, dont be so stingy

The IAA Needs YOU!

*Runs to Photoshop....

Masada

Ask not what your organisation can do for you, but what you can do for your organisation...

Witcher

vtec wrote: »

Ask not what your organisation can do for you, but what you can do for your organisation...

True, true, fair play to the IAA

Ya's do a great job, that ya's aren't appreciated for.

CrazyRabbit

vtec wrote: »

Ask not what your organisation can do for you, but what you can do for your organisation...

Stealing quotes from dead people now are you? Tut Tut

Regarding the article, it's certainly 100% better than previous articles. I am ever so slightly hopeful that it won't be too long before we get a positive airsoft article stating the merits of the sport.

Killinator

The fact that thats one of the better articles on airsoft guns is worthy of tears,

I wonder did their weapons 'expert' give them the names of the guns in those pics:D

Stercus Accidit

Killinator wrote: »

The fact that thats one of the better articles on airsoft guns is worthy of tears,

I wonder did their weapons 'expert' give them the names of the guns in those pics:D

"Yep, that one is the ak47, and that one is the m16, the only two guns in the world, now about that pint of lager you owe me, ta"

MacAonghusa

OzCam wrote: »

Oh for God's sake, not again. We've been over this at least 3 times in the last month or two. Go away and read the previous threads on this subject.
Hive has answered this a million times already.

Well excuse me for not having the time to read every single thread on the forum; work, kids and a social life often interfere with my post reading.

Gizmodeon

In cases where people start saying "Why aren't there any positive reviews about airsoft? Why haven't the IAA done anything about this?"
Thats when we realise that it's not just the IAA's job to promote the sport.
There has been efforts made by a few teams to promote the sport otherwise,
but if anyone has any friends in the media, give them a shout!

Something I noticed the paintballers did, is they had a photoshoot of their own with girls and the guns, and it looked great from a promotional point of view.
I'd love to do a documentary, if only I had the equipment :rolleyes:

Anyone else have any other ways to promote the sport?
I think the HRTA birthday bash getting a little more media attention would have done great for the sport.
We need to offer the journalists something tasty to catch their attention. How about Hive in a bikini?

kevteljeur

I'm still against promotion, and I'll evangelise this position at every point possible. I don't mean this in an inflammatory way: The public at large don't take Paintball seriously. I'm not saying it's not a legitimate sport (it is, in my eyes) but the public perception of it is knockabout fun. Airsoft is not. It'll never be seen that way. And it doesn't need any help to get in the public mindshare. What it needs is prevention of getting into the public mindshare.

MacAonghusa

kevteljeur wrote: »

I'm still against promotion, and I'll evangelise this position at every point possible. I don't mean this in an inflammatory way: The public at large don't take Paintball seriously. I'm not saying it's not a legitimate sport (it is, in my eyes) but the public perception of it is knockabout fun. Airsoft is not. It'll never be seen that way. And it doesn't need any help to get in the public mindshare. What it needs is prevention of getting into the public mindshare.

I'm not sure I understand you're pov. Why isn't airsoft knockabout fun? Shouldn't it be? Wouldn't that be a "lower threat" perception of the sport?

Shiva

MacAonghusa wrote: »

I'm not sure I understand you're pov. Why isn't airsoft knockabout fun? Shouldn't it be? Wouldn't that be a "lower threat" perception of the sport?

I think I see where Kevin is coming from. The simple fact is that people dont see paintball guns as being replica firearms. Even though you can get paintball guns that have a resemblance to their real counterparts, they're not as realistic as an airsoft gun. And therein lies the problem.

Its not what airsoft guns do, its whats they look like. Joe Public will always see an airsoft gun as a realistic imitation firearm that shoots "pellets". I dont think we'll ever get past that. If I was selling paintball guns I wouldnt have had an Evening Herald reporter in the shop a few weeks ago buying one and splashing headlines across the front page, even though a paintball gun is up to 17 times more powerful, and requires authorisation from the Gardaí to own one.

MacAonghusa

Shiva wrote: »

I think I see where Kevin is coming from. The simple fact is that people dont see paintball guns as being replica firearms. Even though you can get paintball guns that have a resemblance to their real counterparts, they're not as realistic as an airsoft gun. And therein lies the problem.

Its not what airsoft guns do, its whats they look like. Joe Public will always see an airsoft gun as a realistic imitation firearm that shoots "pellets". I dont think we'll ever get past that. If I was selling paintball guns I wouldnt have had an Evening Herald reporter in the shop a few weeks ago buying one and splashing headlines across the front page, even though a paintball gun is up to 17 times more powerful, and requires authorisation from the Gardaí to own one.

Ok, my own opinion is that with the right publicity/education you might just get past that to a certain degree; to at least the point where ppl do see it as just knockabout fun even if the guns do look real.

CrazyRabbit

MacAonghusa wrote: »

Ok, my own opinion is that with the right publicity/education you might just get past that to a certain degree; to at least the point where ppl do see it as just knockabout fun even if the guns do look real.

Educating people is something to be feared. Remember, all media people are evil. Best we just sit back and hope that there isn't too many negative news stories involving airsoft that eventually create the political will to get airsoft banned. We only have 5 or 6 so far. Nothing to worry about...yet.

/sarcasm off

I'm all for the great work being done by retailers and the IAA, but I am still not 100% convinced it's a good idea to avoid actively publicising the sport in a positive light (for fear of it being turned into something negative).

MacAonghusa

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

Educating people is something to be feared. Remember, all media people are evil. Best we just sit back and hope that there isn't too many negative news stories involving airsoft that eventually create the political will to get airsoft banned. We only have 5 or 6 so far. Nothing to worry about...yet.

Can't say I agree at all. I think you have to be proactive otherwise the media will print what they like and the public will believe every word.

kevteljeur

MacAonghusa wrote: »

Ok, my own opinion is that with the right publicity/education you might just get past that to a certain degree; to at least the point where ppl do see it as just knockabout fun even if the guns do look real.

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

Educating people is something to be feared. Remember, all media people are evil. Best we just sit back and hope that there isn't too many negative news stories involving airsoft that eventually create the political will to get airsoft banned. We only have 5 or 6 so far. Nothing to worry about...yet.

/sarcasm off

I'm all for the great work being done by retailers and the IAA, but I am still not 100% convinced it's a good idea to avoid actively publicising the sport in a positive light (for fear of it being turned into something negative).

The thing is, that people go by what they see. If it looks like a dog, and it barks like a dog, then it's a dog. Paintball has been around for a long time, the markers look like weird alien devices which people recognise as paintball markers and it's confined to specialist sites - you will never see them anywhere else. That is absolutely crucial in it's public perception. If you want to muck about with paintball, you will have to spend a day getting shouted at by safety instructors on site, and you can't take them home.

Airsoft has arrived recently, the guns look exactly like the real thing (in incredibly detail) and the only rules regarding use are really a side-effect of other rules. Oh, and any Tom, Dick and Harry can buy them in any major town without restriction. You can't get past it.

Promotion of airsoft just means more people are aware of it and discussing it, and more people want to get into it before the sport has matured into something that can deal with it. It will mean more fly-by-night retailers, more irresponsible people buying, and more 'incidents'. And many more people fearing it. Right now it's barely on the radar but promote it and many, many more people will get to see the problem we have here. Hence, go slowly, let us not be like a proverbial bull in a china shop about it and force the issue.

These newspaper articles might to us represent airsoft being portrayed in the wrong light to the the general public, but the fact of the matter is that this is how the general public perceives airsoft with no help whatsover. You can't change that no matter how long or loudly you shout at them about it being a safe , friendly sport, because they've got a preconception stronger than any promotion. We're no Nike or Adidas, like it or not.

OzCam

MacAonghusa wrote: »

Well excuse me for not having the time to read every single thread on the forum; work, kids and a social life often interfere with my post reading.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055387365

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055381672

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055377156

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055372273

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055365487

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055362977

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055337232

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055145778

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055335351

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055326910

...

MacAonghusa

kevteljeur wrote: »

These newspaper articles might to us represent airsoft being portrayed in the wrong light to the the general public, but the fact of the matter is that this is how the general public perceives airsoft with no help whatsover. You can't change that no matter how long or loudly you shout at them about it being a safe , friendly sport, because they've got a preconception stronger than any promotion. We're no Nike or Adidas, like it or not.

You make some good points but I think you need to give people more credit. No one I showed my AEGs to questioned their legality or expressed concern about the safety of the devices. Sure there will be plenty of people concerned about these things but it's because of lack of knowledge. They assume they are dangerous because they look dangerous. They need to learn that 1. they're not dangerous and 2. they are being used (generally) by responsible people in a responsible manner.
The vast majority of ppl will accept that without getting their knickers in a twist. IMO.