Getting Press Coverage

Getting press coverage is a frontline weapon in stopECG's Campaign, If people see articles warning them about the ECG they are much less likely to sign in error. Journalists and editors will only cover a story if they think it will sell more copy, luckily you have what they want, Local interest.



Remember:
The press are just like us, busy. The more you do to prepare a story for them the more likely they are to use it! I recommend phoning the pressroom of your local paper(s) and getting hold of a journalist who you can then remain in contact with. If you have everything he/she needs to write a story and can email or fax it right over they are more likely to run with it. Send it over and follow up, a phone call checking that it all arrived OK is enough.
If you are really to busy consider just phoning your local press desks and hoping that they will pick up on the story.

Tip:
Who to Contact
All the above will be listed in your local yellow Pages you can also try the Newspaper society (Go to the links page).

If you have the time, make a press release

This can really help, a press release is better than a plain fax or phonecall.
The newsroom gets loads of these and you want yours to stand out.

try to:
You should also include a page of "Notes for Editors"
This really helps as it saves the newsroom work and makes them more likely to write a full story. In the Editors notes, give the paper leads so that they can make phonecalls without having to do roo much research!
For the Most basic Editors notes, simply copy the 3 pieces of info below and add your own contact details. Read on for more tips!
  1. Contact info for the European City Guide
    European City Guide, S.L.
    Martinez Cubells, 6, 4° pta.8
    E-46002
    Valencia
    Tel : +34 902 36 34 70
    Fax : +34 902 36 34 71
  2. Authorities in Valencia
    Tel. 0034 96 3869608
    Fax. 0034 96 3869642

  3. Opposition websites:
    http://www.stopecg.org/ (Ph 0774 7792203)
    http://www.osservatorioaziende.it (Italian)
    http://www.arnaques.be.tf/index.shtml (French)
    http://www.kundenreklamation.de/ German
More Tips: The following require a bit of research on your part but will improve the stories chances of being included and detailed

Contact phone for a local Trading standards Officer (Just call them up and get a number for their press officer, include this in your editirs notes)

Contact details for other businesses listed in your area, Go to http://www.eurocityguide.com and look them up. If you really want to go for it, phone them up and get their personal stories. (If you do this, Please tell them about this website!)

That's about it, Good Luck!

If you get a feature in your local press, please scan it (as jpg or pdf, at 150DPI or higher) and Email it to us for inclusion in the gallery below.
The Gallery is currently somewhat neglected, and contains only a tiny fraction of the articles that have appeared in Europe's press. we will update it as time permits!
Recent Online Articles
Tages-Anzeiger (Switzerland) 24th Sep 2005 (reproduced here by kind permission)
Tages-Anzeiger (Switzerland) 10th Sep 2005 (reproduced here by kind permission)
Tages-Anzeiger (Switzerland) 6th Sep 2005 (reproduced here by kind permission)
Irish Post (Ireland) 19th Apri 2005 (Re: Construct Data)
Irish Post (Ireland) Jan 30th 2005 (Contains particularly serious allegations of ECG collection tactics)

Reproductions of Printed Articles
Click on an article to see it full size.


South Wales E. Post 23/08/01
N.E. News 7/09/01
Richmond informer 21/09/01
Hownslow Gurdian 03/10/01
Daily Mirror 18/01/06


Older Online Articles
The Daily Mirror Mirror Investigates, 11 August 2004
Irish Post (Ireland) September 28th 2003
The Daily Telegraph on the First European City Guide 18th Nov 2000
BBC (Northern Ireland)
This is Worcestershire, Nov 2001
West London Business (reproduced here by kind permission)
Irish Post (Ireland) December 3rd 2000
European Advertising Standards Alliance February 2000


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