Getting a Story in the Newspaper Late at Night for the Next Day?

Vivara

Hey guys,

Would anyone know who to email at papers like the Irish Times, Independent and Examiner at about 10pm so that a story, such as the winning of an award, would feature in the next day? I presume you email the news desk.

Does anyone know how you would increase the chances of getting into the paper? As in providing details, quotes, etc.?

Sorry for being vague..

coylemj

Most of the paper is put to bed well before 10 p.m. Getting a report into the paper would need to involve some element of authentication if the report isn't coming in from the paper's own correspondent so it's unlikely that something based on an e-mail would make it into the following days's paper.

The late stuff that gets into the paper would be US Golf results from Friday to Monday (representing Thursday to Sunday tournaments) and 'developing' news stories, meaning anything that happens overnight where the newspapers want to be seen as not being too behind the curve but all of this would be coming in from wire services or syndicated services such as news or sports agencies.

May we ask what award you're talking about?

Vivara

It is the Student Media Awards on Thursday night. The papers normally cover them, but I want to draw attention to a particular category winner... the awards finish at 10 pm, and I presume there will be members of the press there as they sponsor the awards themselves.

coylemj

Vivara wrote: »

It is the Student Media Awards on Thursday night. The papers normally cover them, but I want to draw attention to a particular category winner... the awards finish at 10 pm, and I presume there will be members of the press there as they sponsor the awards themselves.

For something like that they might reserve a spot in the later editions of the paper e.g. a photo of the winners with the minister and so many words from the reporter sent to cover it.

Drawing attention to a category winner sounds fair enough but that's an editorial matter, it's down to the night editor to give it preference over the general or overall winners, that's assuming it's going to be in Friday's paper.

However as a not really all that important 'news' item, it's more likely that it will be held over to Saturday's paper. Can't see them sitting there scratching their rear ends on Thursday night waiting for the report from the ceremony. I mean it's not like we're talking about something important like the Eurovision!

Ranelite

If it was sent in after 9.30 it would only appear in racing or city editions - if it was worth replacing something in the national edition.

Michael O Toole

Could you not send it out under embargo?

OctavarIan

Best thing to do would be to contact the paper in advance in order to pitch the story to them. Unless the paper is sponsoring the category or has some other vested interest I can't seem them jumping into action for that 10pm email.

At previous Smedias there was a press event held in the early afternoon to take photographs of the nominees, verify names etc. It was held by a few papers mostly for the journalistic categories. That way when the winner is announced all you have to do is swap in the relevant pic, name and article. Everything is preprepared.

jdivision

Contact paper in advance, release results under embargo at 2pm with the embargo set for 10:30pm (in case they run late). The photocall earlier in the day probably a good idea, the sponsors likely to take pics then.