Tell your local newspaper
Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:27 pm
Do you report your shooting achievements to your local newspaper?
I've sent in my accomplishments written as a news story and the sports department was happy to get it. It was very easy for them to use because it only required the space to print it. I wrote the article and listed my wife as the person to contact for additional information so it wouldn’t' look like I was bragging {which I guess I was}. I know my friends appreciated hearing about it and it didn't look like I was blowing my own horn. They thought the article was written by the newspaper staff. However, the most important reason for the article is to show the anti-gun people that guns are used for other purposes than to shoot people.
I urge everyone to send in an article to your newspaper. You don't have to finish first to have the article newsworthy. I finished second in a state match and they printed that one, too.
Also, if you feel you can't do that, a how-to story will also be enthusiastically accepted. I once wrote a story on bicycle riding and the newspaper came out, took my picture, and printed the story on the bottom of the front page!
Another time, we sent in a news report and the newspaper called and apologized for not having covered it earlier.
Years ago I had a train shop and New York City was having the so-called gun "buy-back" program. The same week a customer came in and traded a rifle for some of my trains. I called the newspaper and told them I was taking guns for toys. They came and took my picture holding the rifle. The article stated I was taking the guns on trade, however, unlike NYC I was reselling them {I had an FFL at the time}. I had the rifle sold the next day along with another one I had in stock.
I hope there are newspaper people on here who can give better advice to promote the shooting sports than my personal observations and correct my errors.
Ben
I've sent in my accomplishments written as a news story and the sports department was happy to get it. It was very easy for them to use because it only required the space to print it. I wrote the article and listed my wife as the person to contact for additional information so it wouldn’t' look like I was bragging {which I guess I was}. I know my friends appreciated hearing about it and it didn't look like I was blowing my own horn. They thought the article was written by the newspaper staff. However, the most important reason for the article is to show the anti-gun people that guns are used for other purposes than to shoot people.
I urge everyone to send in an article to your newspaper. You don't have to finish first to have the article newsworthy. I finished second in a state match and they printed that one, too.
Also, if you feel you can't do that, a how-to story will also be enthusiastically accepted. I once wrote a story on bicycle riding and the newspaper came out, took my picture, and printed the story on the bottom of the front page!
Another time, we sent in a news report and the newspaper called and apologized for not having covered it earlier.
Years ago I had a train shop and New York City was having the so-called gun "buy-back" program. The same week a customer came in and traded a rifle for some of my trains. I called the newspaper and told them I was taking guns for toys. They came and took my picture holding the rifle. The article stated I was taking the guns on trade, however, unlike NYC I was reselling them {I had an FFL at the time}. I had the rifle sold the next day along with another one I had in stock.
I hope there are newspaper people on here who can give better advice to promote the shooting sports than my personal observations and correct my errors.
Ben