Bad publicity

I just searched on "glider" on the BBC's news web site. What I found shocked
me. Of 46 results returned for the period since May 1998, not a single one
mentioned any form of achievement whatsoever in gliding. See here for the
search page:

http://newssearch.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/...&start=1&q=gli
der&scope=newsukfs

Given that British pilots have been spectacularly successful in
international competition over the last few years, either our world-famous
national TV news service is deliberately ignoring us, or our governing body
is failing miserably in getting the message across.

We all know the press love a good disaster but when a few Brits kick a ball
into a net they all get gongs and the papers go wild for weeks. Why can't
gliding get so much as a mention, even when we produce a world champion? I
know ours is a minority sport but the British media are not usually shy
about trumpeting British successes.

For the (dismal) record, here are 33 of the 46 headlines on the BBC site; I
think they speak for themselves. (The rest are mostly about Steve Fosset's
preparations for record flights or other non-fatal glider incidents
reflecting in various negative ways on gliding):

Glider death crash boy named
Teenager dies in glider crash
Glider death would be 'perfect'
Crashed glider 'caught on cable'
Glider pilots in mid-air collision
Fatal glider crash witness appeal
Glider pilot dies after crash
Glider crash inquiry opens
Glider crashes into mountain
Dead glider pilot named
Pilot powerless to stop mid-air collision
Inquest into air collision
Glider pilot dies in crash
Crash pilot faces law suit
Glider crashes on main rail route
'Experienced' glider in crash
Glider crash pilot named
Glider crash inquiry starts
Inquest into glider deaths
Glider death pilot named
Glider crash victim 'loved flying'
Glider crash victims named
Two die in glider crash
'Freak' air crash inquiry continues
Elderly man survives glider crash
Two dead in glider and plane crash
Two dead after glider accidents
One dead after mid-air collision
Three killed in air crashes
Three dead in glider crash
Pilot unaware of rambler death
Leading glider pilot dies in collision
Two killed in gliding accident

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:01:07 -0000, "David Starer"
wrote:

....snippage....

Given that British pilots have been spectacularly successful in
international competition over the last few years, either our world-famous
national TV news service is deliberately ignoring us, or our governing body
is failing miserably in getting the message across.

We all know the press love a good disaster but when a few Brits kick a ball
into a net they all get gongs and the papers go wild for weeks. Why can't
gliding get so much as a mention, even when we produce a world champion? I
know ours is a minority sport but the British media are not usually shy
about trumpeting British successes.

The BBC is actually extremely parochial and very selective in its
sports coverage and I wish I knew why.

Parochial: Listen to Olympic coverage: a number of times I've heard
reportage about some Brit winning a bronze but not a hint of who
actually won the event.

Selective: IMO the Beeb's soccer coverage has been excessive for 30
years (yes, even before it became fashionable for yuppies it got too
disproportionate attention). Apart from that, horse racing, cricket
and tennis everything else is minor league. Unless its golf,
field&track or rugby it tends only to be mentioned if a disaster
happens. Any connection between horse racing and sport totally eludes
me: its pure gambling and not sport.

My current theory is that the Beeb really only reports financial news
and events that might affect the financial world. When you come to
sport the only really big money is in soccer, tennis and horse racing,
so that's what mostly gets covered.


--
martin@ : Martin Gregorie
gregorie : Harlow, UK
demon :
co : Zappa fan & glider pilot
uk :

"Martin Gregorie" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:01:07 -0000, "David Starer"
wrote:

Well Martin, you and I both know that whenever you land out in the UK there
will shortly be police car and a crowd of gawpers asking where the 'crash'
is! In more than twenty C/C flights I always encountered this response.
Even when I showed people that my engine hadn't fallen off, they still often
could not comprehend the idea of flying without one. So much for our
'air-minded public I used to think. On two occasions some local worthy
actually summoned the Fire Brigade who were NOT amused to find no crash and
certainly no fire.

Gliding will never attract the Beeb because there is no money in it and you
cannot package it for TV. There have been a few ,very few, programmes about
gliding over the 7 decades since the sport started but I wouldn't like to
guess when the next one might be.

Alistair Wright

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 16:02:32 -0000, "Alistair Wright"
wrote:


"Martin Gregorie" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:01:07 -0000, "David Starer"
wrote:

Well Martin, you and I both know that whenever you land out in the UK there
will shortly be police car and a crowd of gawpers asking where the 'crash'
is!

Too true!

In more than twenty C/C flights I always encountered this response.
Even when I showed people that my engine hadn't fallen off, they still often
could not comprehend the idea of flying without one. So much for our
'air-minded public I used to think.

Its worse than that. I was in a field When the only spontaneous
response to a glider sitting in a field by the road is a yell of
'******' from a passing school bus you realise just how strong the
anti-avialtion culture in the UK is. But then we already know that.

On two occasions some local worthy
actually summoned the Fire Brigade who were NOT amused to find no crash and
certainly no fire.

On one occasion (I was part of the retrieve crew) there were eight
police cars, two fire trucks and a rescue helicopter. A local rang
them. At least the rescue services blamed said local, not us. When we
arrived the villagers were muttering about blocked roads and how they
could never get a cop when they wanted one.

Gliding will never attract the Beeb because there is no money in it and you
cannot package it for TV.

Yeah, I know, but you'd think a short interview would be on when yet
another soaring (or model flying) gold medal arrives in the UK. Maybe
this happens too often for it to be classed as news?


--
martin@ : Martin Gregorie
gregorie : Harlow, UK
demon :
co : Zappa fan & glider pilot
uk :

Hi Martin

Lack of publicity for soaring is a worldwide problem. Here in South
Africa we don't exactly have a surfeit of world champions. However, when
Oscar Goudrian won the worlds Open class in the first WGC to be held in
Africa (Let alone in South Africa) it did not even qualify for a clip on
national television.
Some second rate football match that involved lots of noise and stone
throwing was far better news. Pity but that appears to be the way of it.

At least they appear to be even handed about this and ignore the
occasional crash too. So - no negative or positive publicity here.

Cheers
Bruce
Gregorie wrote:

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 16:02:32 -0000, "Alistair Wright"
wrote:


"Martin Gregorie" wrote in message
. ..

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:01:07 -0000, "David Starer"
wrote:

Well Martin, you and I both know that whenever you land out in the UK there
will shortly be police car and a crowd of gawpers asking where the 'crash'
is!


Too true!


In more than twenty C/C flights I always encountered this response.
Even when I showed people that my engine hadn't fallen off, they still often
could not comprehend the idea of flying without one. So much for our
'air-minded public I used to think.


Its worse than that. I was in a field When the only spontaneous
response to a glider sitting in a field by the road is a yell of
'******' from a passing school bus you realise just how strong the
anti-avialtion culture in the UK is. But then we already know that.


On two occasions some local worthy
actually summoned the Fire Brigade who were NOT amused to find no crash and
certainly no fire.


On one occasion (I was part of the retrieve crew) there were eight
police cars, two fire trucks and a rescue helicopter. A local rang
them. At least the rescue services blamed said local, not us. When we
arrived the villagers were muttering about blocked roads and how they
could never get a cop when they wanted one.


Gliding will never attract the Beeb because there is no money in it and you
cannot package it for TV.


Yeah, I know, but you'd think a short interview would be on when yet
another soaring (or model flying) gold medal arrives in the UK. Maybe
this happens too often for it to be classed as news?


--
martin@ : Martin Gregorie
gregorie : Harlow, UK
demon :
co : Zappa fan & glider pilot
uk :

No one reports because no one cares, save when one of us dies in the
act, proving once again there's nothing "safe as houses."

There are so many diversions available... who is the world snowmobile
champion? Scrabble? Water skiing? Rock climbing? Surfing? Curling?
Squash? Mountain biking? And a hundred other other equally challenging
passtimes with more participants, greater accessibility, and lower
barriers to entry.

We have an unrealistic view of our sport because we have so much
invested in its returns. We find the formula agreeable. Most people do
not. Enjoy the sport for the personal satisfaction you find in it.
Answer the questions of the curious with honest enthusiasm. Welcome
and support those who have recognized the commitment required and have
chosen to pursue the sport anyway (this is where we lose the majority
of potential soaring pilots). And accept it is a passtime to be shared
among a lucky few.

And if you think it is important to be featured on the news in a
positive light, all it takes is money to feed a PR machine. I'm sure
Steve Fosset can recommend a capable firm. Make sure you have 7
figures available. Free advertising is expensive.

Cheers,

OC

G'Day,

the same in Germany - no news in TV or Radio or newspapers
about any champions or championships. But our police is more
lazy than yours outside Germany - I had never a police-visit during
my after-the-outlanding-wait-for-the-crew. But a lot of gawpers, too -
they ask everytime "have you lost wind" (I hope the translation fits...)

I try to inform them about soaring, allow children to sit in the cockpit
etc. - everytime I left I had a lot of new "friends" (and no angry
farmers).

Cu


c1rrus wrote:

Hi Martin

Lack of publicity for soaring is a worldwide problem. Here in South
Africa we don't exactly have a surfeit of world champions. However, when
Oscar Goudrian won the worlds Open class in the first WGC to be held in
Africa (Let alone in South Africa) it did not even qualify for a clip on
national television.
Some second rate football match that involved lots of noise and stone
throwing was far better news. Pity but that appears to be the way of it.

At least they appear to be even handed about this and ignore the
occasional crash too. So - no negative or positive publicity here.

Cheers
Bruce
Gregorie wrote:

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 16:02:32 -0000, "Alistair Wright"
wrote:


"Martin Gregorie" wrote in message
. ..

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:01:07 -0000, "David Starer"
wrote:

Well Martin, you and I both know that whenever you land out in the UK there
will shortly be police car and a crowd of gawpers asking where the 'crash'
is!


Too true!


In more than twenty C/C flights I always encountered this response.
Even when I showed people that my engine hadn't fallen off, they still often
could not comprehend the idea of flying without one. So much for our
'air-minded public I used to think.


Its worse than that. I was in a field When the only spontaneous
response to a glider sitting in a field by the road is a yell of
'******' from a passing school bus you realise just how strong the
anti-avialtion culture in the UK is. But then we already know that.


On two occasions some local worthy
actually summoned the Fire Brigade who were NOT amused to find no crash and
certainly no fire.


On one occasion (I was part of the retrieve crew) there were eight
police cars, two fire trucks and a rescue helicopter. A local rang
them. At least the rescue services blamed said local, not us. When we
arrived the villagers were muttering about blocked roads and how they
could never get a cop when they wanted one.


Gliding will never attract the Beeb because there is no money in it and you
cannot package it for TV.


Yeah, I know, but you'd think a short interview would be on when yet
another soaring (or model flying) gold medal arrives in the UK. Maybe
this happens too often for it to be classed as news?


--
martin@ : Martin Gregorie
gregorie : Harlow, UK
demon :
co : Zappa fan & glider pilot
uk :

In article , Alistair Wright
writes

"Martin Gregorie" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:01:07 -0000, "David Starer"
wrote:

Well Martin, you and I both know that whenever you land out in the UK there
will shortly be police car and a crowd of gawpers asking where the 'crash'
is! In more than twenty C/C flights I always encountered this response.
Even when I showed people that my engine hadn't fallen off, they still often
could not comprehend the idea of flying without one. So much for our
'air-minded public I used to think. On two occasions some local worthy
actually summoned the Fire Brigade who were NOT amused to find no crash and
certainly no fire.

I had this happen when I landed near a busy road near Bury St Edmunds.
I had a policeman on a motor-bite, two fire engines and a doctor.
I tried to get the policeman to help me derig, I've never seen one
disappear so quickly. But it was a Skylark 4, notoriously heavy.

The next day I landed out again, my second phone call was a 999 to tell
the police there wasn't an emergency. They were a bit non-plussed, but
quite glad to know.

--
Mike Lindsay

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 22:54:34 +0000, Mike Lindsay
wrote:

In article , Alistair Wright
writes

"Martin Gregorie" wrote in message
. ..
On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:01:07 -0000, "David Starer"
wrote:

Well Martin, you and I both know that whenever you land out in the UK there
will shortly be police car and a crowd of gawpers asking where the 'crash'
is! In more than twenty C/C flights I always encountered this response.
Even when I showed people that my engine hadn't fallen off, they still often
could not comprehend the idea of flying without one. So much for our
'air-minded public I used to think. On two occasions some local worthy
actually summoned the Fire Brigade who were NOT amused to find no crash and
certainly no fire.

I had this happen when I landed near a busy road near Bury St Edmunds.
I had a policeman on a motor-bite, two fire engines and a doctor.
I tried to get the policeman to help me derig, I've never seen one
disappear so quickly. But it was a Skylark 4, notoriously heavy.

The next day I landed out again, my second phone call was a 999 to tell
the police there wasn't an emergency. They were a bit non-plussed, but
quite glad to know.

That's a good idea. I'll remember to do that in future.

--
martin@ : Martin Gregorie
gregorie : Harlow, UK
demon :
co : Zappa fan & glider pilot
uk :

Well Martin, you and I both know that whenever you land out in the UK there
will shortly be police car and a crowd of gawpers asking where the 'crash'
is!

A member of a club about 100 miles north of me (Northeast U.S.)had a
"firm" off field landing - no damage. He had a bad back and after he got
out of the glider he laid down on the ground to stretch it out a little.
The next thing he knew, there was a fireman on top of him, pounding on
his chest trying to "restart" his heart. While protesting vigorously,
the police arrived and decided that the fireman needed help. The pilot
found the incident a bit amusing..... some months after the event.

Tony V.