We're on the telly!
Wow! What a week last week was!
We got some amazing media coverage about the continued growth of Scouting in Clwyd on every single medium available to us. Usually we do well in the papers and occasionaly online, but last week we were in the papers, online, on the radio, and on the TV. In English and Welsh!
Our motto is 'Be Prepared' and last week proved that being prepared works. We didn't just get on TV through a pure fluke - lots of hard work went into it, with some of the preparations beginning years back...
First, the hard work that Gilwell Park have put in over the years. Their amazing media team headed up by Simon Carter provides crucial support, ideas and training to us at a local level. They have created a brand for Scouting, a team of Media Development Managers across the UK, and put in place training for young people so they, rightly, can be the face of Scouting today.
All of this kicked in a few weeks back when we had a draft press release from Gilwell. It was the framework for us to build our own story, putting our own figures in, local references and quotes from young people from Clwyd.
Previous experience taught me that sometimes the media aren't interested in the story at all, but sometimes they are very interested, and we have to be ready. I've been caught out before by a phone call from a broadcaster asking if they can come down and film, and it being half term with not a Scout group meeting in the Area!
So this time I made sure we had all bases covered.
Two days before the embargo on the story was lifted I had the press releases sent out and Explorer Scout members of the media team on alert to give interviews. I'd learned at a regional media meeting that it was possible to film your own material and send out to the TV companies, so I gave it a go. I contacted the MDM for Flintshire, Greg - who's a film maker by trade, set up a climbing session at Cox Wood campsite, and got some Young Leaders (who just happened to be media trained) down to help out with the climbing and give interviews.
Then we waited for the phone to ring. And it did!
Straight away BBC Wales were interested, and asked for the video we'd done. They also interviewed me for a website piece. Then ITV Wales phoned. They were also interesting in the footage, but wanted to send a reporter and camera crew out as well - and it just so happened that we had a Beaver Scout Colony visit to Wrexham Fire Station happening that night, with a media trained Young Leader present. Sorted!
Next came the radio. BBC Radio Wales phoned up wanting an interview with the Chief Commissioner of Wales - who luckily was in Cardiff so was able to pop into Broadcasting House to do a live interview on Good Evening Wales with a Patrol Leader from Cardiff. Then BBC Radio Cymru phoned wanting an interview in Welsh - so I gave Sion a ring, and that was sorted.
All of the preparations paid off and we got the following coverage (click to see the link where available):
BBC Breakfast - Wales news summaries used our Cox Wood footage throughout the morning on BBC One
BBC News online - extensive story featuring our photos, and quotes from both me and the young people
BBC Wales bulletins - used our Cox Wood footage throughout the day on BBC One
BBC Radio Cymru - interview with Sion
BBC Radio Wales - interview with Chief Commissioner on Good Evening Wales
ITV Wales Tonight - report from Beavers' visit to fire station and used our Cox Wood footage
Wrexham.com - extensive story featuring our photos, and quotes from both me and the young people
The Leader - article featuring our photos, and quotes from both me and the young people
When we ask people for suggestions of how we can improve Scouting's image, they often say, 'An advert on the TV would be great!'
Well I think through years of preparation, we can now look forward to lots of 'adverts' for Scouting on TV, and we don't have to pay a penny for them!
Wow! What a week last week was!
We got some amazing media coverage about the continued growth of Scouting in Clwyd on every single medium available to us. Usually we do well in the papers and occasionaly online, but last week we were in the papers, online, on the radio, and on the TV. In English and Welsh!
Our motto is 'Be Prepared' and last week proved that being prepared works. We didn't just get on TV through a pure fluke - lots of hard work went into it, with some of the preparations beginning years back...
First, the hard work that Gilwell Park have put in over the years. Their amazing media team headed up by Simon Carter provides crucial support, ideas and training to us at a local level. They have created a brand for Scouting, a team of Media Development Managers across the UK, and put in place training for young people so they, rightly, can be the face of Scouting today.
All of this kicked in a few weeks back when we had a draft press release from Gilwell. It was the framework for us to build our own story, putting our own figures in, local references and quotes from young people from Clwyd.
Previous experience taught me that sometimes the media aren't interested in the story at all, but sometimes they are very interested, and we have to be ready. I've been caught out before by a phone call from a broadcaster asking if they can come down and film, and it being half term with not a Scout group meeting in the Area!
So this time I made sure we had all bases covered.
Two days before the embargo on the story was lifted I had the press releases sent out and Explorer Scout members of the media team on alert to give interviews. I'd learned at a regional media meeting that it was possible to film your own material and send out to the TV companies, so I gave it a go. I contacted the MDM for Flintshire, Greg - who's a film maker by trade, set up a climbing session at Cox Wood campsite, and got some Young Leaders (who just happened to be media trained) down to help out with the climbing and give interviews.
Then we waited for the phone to ring. And it did!
Straight away BBC Wales were interested, and asked for the video we'd done. They also interviewed me for a website piece. Then ITV Wales phoned. They were also interesting in the footage, but wanted to send a reporter and camera crew out as well - and it just so happened that we had a Beaver Scout Colony visit to Wrexham Fire Station happening that night, with a media trained Young Leader present. Sorted!
Next came the radio. BBC Radio Wales phoned up wanting an interview with the Chief Commissioner of Wales - who luckily was in Cardiff so was able to pop into Broadcasting House to do a live interview on Good Evening Wales with a Patrol Leader from Cardiff. Then BBC Radio Cymru phoned wanting an interview in Welsh - so I gave Sion a ring, and that was sorted.
All of the preparations paid off and we got the following coverage (click to see the link where available):
BBC Breakfast - Wales news summaries used our Cox Wood footage throughout the morning on BBC One
BBC News online - extensive story featuring our photos, and quotes from both me and the young people
BBC Wales bulletins - used our Cox Wood footage throughout the day on BBC One
BBC Radio Cymru - interview with Sion
BBC Radio Wales - interview with Chief Commissioner on Good Evening Wales
ITV Wales Tonight - report from Beavers' visit to fire station and used our Cox Wood footage
Wrexham.com - extensive story featuring our photos, and quotes from both me and the young people
The Leader - article featuring our photos, and quotes from both me and the young people
When we ask people for suggestions of how we can improve Scouting's image, they often say, 'An advert on the TV would be great!'
Well I think through years of preparation, we can now look forward to lots of 'adverts' for Scouting on TV, and we don't have to pay a penny for them!
Moz on media
Moz is Assistant Area Commissioner for Communications which includes the role of Media Development Manager for Clwyd. On this page he blogs about what we're doing in Clwyd to make sure people know about the adventure, fun and challenge we offer in Scouting.
Follow Moz on Twitter: @wxmmoz
and the Clwyd Media Team: @clwydscoutmedia