Weather or not: Our "worst fake press release contest" continues; sometimes truth is stran
SAN FRANCISCO (#1200) – Last Tuesday Bernie Wilson (USA), the esteemed Associated Press sports writer who has been covering our sport for three decades (among other mainstream sports), was the guest on our bi-weekly TFE LIVE webcast. Watch a replay here.
During the show Bernie articulated 15 key tips for how clubs, classes and other regatta organizers can better engage the media. One of his key points is the slide above, and he thinks many of the PR people in our sport are laughable for their penchant for writing press releases that talk about the weather in the headline and lede (first paragraph) instead of who won, what, where and why.
During Bernie's appearance on our show, I promised to run here on Sailing Illustrated a "worst fake press release contest." I posted the first entry on SI last Friday headlined, "Weather or not: Champagne, or at least Prosecco, Conditions at the Youth Match Racing Worlds."
I now post the second entry, below, with the caveat that, and I kid you not, it is not a fake press release. It's an actual release from today's first day of racing at the 50th Anniversary Trofeo Princesa Sofia Olympic Classes Regatta in Palma, Mallorca, ESP. Your Ed. is not sure who wrote it – presumably some combo of the regatta organizers, World Sailing, the US Sailing Team, and/or Scuttlebutt Sailing News (from which the graphic below is a screen-grab).
When Bernie sees this, he will be laughing his rear-end off at yet another croutonic sailing release and headline. I would be laughing too, if it were not so sad for our sport....
Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.
They did finally get into some results in the fourth paragraph. All that's missing from the above to make it a real contender in our contest is a quote from, say, the Regatta Chairman, PRO or maybe Commodore of the host Club.
P.S. Thanks for the many comments and kudos on last Tuesday's widely-viewed show. On tomorrow's (Tuesday) TFE LIVE, we will wade into this topic again, this time with a famously good PR/Comms man, Talbot Wilson (USA, Pensacola), who has been producing great sailing media releases and other media content for some fifty years – for regattas large and small, boats big and small, offshore, inshore, the America's Cup, and more. Join us for TFE LIVE as usual at 1300 Pacific / 1600 Eastern / 2000 UTC on our Sailing Illustrated Facebook page.
Join us on Tuesday's TFE LIVE when our special guest live via Skype from Pensacola will be Talbot Wilson (USA). 1300 Pacific / 1600 Eastern on our Sailing Illustrated Facebook page. Or watch a replay there available immediately the live show ends.