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Post by fishyahoo on Apr 12, 2005 20:27:01 GMT 8
The Malay Mail yesterday Monday 11 April had a few articles on sci-fi in the Buzz section as cover story. The cover picture features a Stormtrooper helmet with a Starfleet comm badge under the heading "The End of An Era".
"Resistance is Futile" by Ong Sor Fern features on the 'end' of Star Trek and Star Wars after this year. I seems though this article was imported from Singapore as quotes did not seem local. It really clicked when a Reno Tan was mentioned, who is also a member of this forum.
"Star Bores: The empire of fans strike back" by Karl Ho writes on the failing interest in collectors for Star Wars toys in recent years. Nevertheless, Toys R Us quoted SGD$30,000 (SGD1 = RM2.35, the article didn't even convert the currency) worth of Star Wars toys were sold at the recent midnight launch with SGD25,000 during EpII and SGD18,000 for EpI. Not at TRU in Malaysia anyway.
"Back to the Future" by Sherwin Loh suggests the following series may be possible contenders to fill-in the voids left by ST and ST: Stargate SG-1, Serenity, Battlestar Galactica (new series).
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Post by Plo Strax-Avix on Apr 12, 2005 22:57:17 GMT 8
Shhhhesh! How typical of our lazy local editors who only sits behind their desk in their air-conditioned office and canibalise other people's article. The least they could've done is to re-word it to make it relevant to the local scene...
Guess its out of the question for any reporter to be at the Klang Valley Midnight Madness Fiesta to interview local fans... 
I feel ashamed...I feel SOOO ashamed...
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Post by vkkf1977 on Apr 13, 2005 8:39:10 GMT 8
long live plagiarism!!! and all the hooo hah was targetted towards to uni students...
then again, just how many journalist would dare venture in scifi territory? just how many are well verse enough? could proly count with 1 hand (or is THAT also too many?)
anyway, come to think of it, scifi/fantasy shows - there isn't many nowadays, even in the states (correct me if i'm wrong). blame it on reality tv, i guess...
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Post by Hisham on Apr 13, 2005 23:13:00 GMT 8
Malay Mail's "Foreign News" section seem to be exclusively from the UK's Daily Mail... which is about as reputable or respectable as Harian Metro here. They should have lifted the Page 3 girls concept from the Sun, while they're at it.  In any case, they're only looking at the point of view of "The Last Star Wars / Star Trek show" to be shown for now... (Honestly I haven't read the Malay Mail articles, did they analyze the rumours about the Star Wars TV series, or the next Star Trek movie? I'm guessing no.) I don't think they even touch on the other aspect of the Star Wars / Star Trek fandom, such as the ongoing book series. And the possible contenders seem to be a list of shows that the writer googled instead of actually knowing what they are. I remember about a month or so ago Malay Mail had a two page spread about the new Battlestar Galactica series, but they had 3 black and white pictures of the OLD crew! Do they even know what they're writing* about? --------------------------------- * When I say "writing", I actually mean "lifting off foreign newspapers". |
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Post by Haldir on Apr 13, 2005 23:58:59 GMT 8
OMG!  What are they thinking? Yes, a few weeks ago, we had 2 pages on this thing in our LIFE! Section of The ( Sunday) Straits Times. I think it was 3rd of April. If there is a full article on Reno Tan, that can either be from Straits Times article on April 1st or TNP's. |
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Post by Plo Strax-Avix on Apr 14, 2005 22:18:40 GMT 8
Do they even know what they're writing* about?
This is soooo evident when you invite the press to an event. They'll only go if there's some big shot there who they can get comments on sensitive current issues, or celebrity who they can dig gossip out of. Or else they'll simply not show up and the PR personnel have to send out press release/press kit hoping that they'll print it.
Even if they do turn up, they usually check out the food first. If its good they'll stay till refreshment time, If not they'll hang around a bit just to 'show face', and then disappear either right before the event starts or shortly after the event starts.
Sometimes a publication would send a journalist and a photographer. The journalist would be busy asking questions and writing notes, and the photographer busy taking photos here and there. However when the article gets printed you won't see any of those 'interviews' in it, just what's found in the press release which was given out with the press kit. None of the photos taken by the photographer would show up alongside the article either, just whatever photo that's included in the press kit, if any. Oh the press kit better include some nice gifts like t-shirt, cap, mouse pad, pen etc or your chances of seeing an article would be very very slim.
But Malaysian journalists are still a bit better then Indonesian journalists. Over there you have to put money in the press kit for a chance of having an article on your event appearing in their publication. Note I said "for a chance of having an article". Giving money does not automatically guarantee you an article, but not giving money definitely guarantee you of not seeing an article. |
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Post by Hisham on Apr 14, 2005 22:22:05 GMT 8
I've assisted in the handling of a press event for a boutique once, when I worked for an ad agency... and I have to say that I very much believe what you just said.  |
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Post by Rhyden on Apr 15, 2005 1:51:09 GMT 8
Hey, hey, hey... I am a journo...  Well, I don't cover entertainment... so I can only talk about my colleagues in my field but unfortunately xeroxing straight out of the press kit is pretty much the norm over here in Malaysia and Singapore. They may attempt in some ways to reword it but chances are, they won't. Why? You will be surprised just how many writers are assigned to work in a certain area even in large press like the dailies. If you are lucky, you may see up 5 writers... The Star has a large number of writers, editors etc but they are nearly always swamped. (Thank goodness, I do not work for a daily or I would die from the stress). For a magazine, the standard is around 2-3 writers running around events over and over again until you get positively sick of seeing them. There are freelancers but they seldom do news events. Entertainment mags tend to hunt for stars, pollies etc... that is pretty understandable - they <b>are</b> paid to get the latest scoop on this and that celeb. Asking them to do otherwise is just plain against their natural instincts. Okay, okay... we are guilty hounding events with some ministers giving a long winded speech in hopes of getting something good or once in a lifetime (YEAH, right... dream on!). Honestly, if it is the local Char Kuey Teow man giving a speech on the merits of his extra special black sauce, who the heck wants to read it unless you are a foodie or if the CKT is bloody good! If no one reads it, it matters not how long you have slogged over the article... unless it is the personal satisfaction thing you are asking for. *chuckles* And you have discovered the open secret of making journalists come to cover your events - FEED US. I have yet to seen many journos who couldn't be tempted with good food and lots and lots of booze unless she is on a diet. And the doorgifts I guess... but that typically attracts only the newbie journos unless it is something really, really desirable. So, okay... you can't provide food, drinks, gifts or star power, how can you possibly get your news event published? Chances are, unless it is something really big ooooor it has been a dull month and they need news fodder... then you may not get published. Dynamic, precise writing with good grammar, spelling etc. along with some good pics might catch the editor's eyes. Don't get dissappointed if you don't get in at first. Journos get tonnes of press releases and emails every day and your stuff may get lost in that heap. Try again after a while... if you get a polite journo, he may feel inclined to let you know if he is covering it or not. Of course I am generalising - each publication have their own policies and each journo has his or her perculiar quirks and biases when attending events. Some are genuinely *rseholes who love nothing better than to go on a protracted power tripping session but there are some really nice people out there too. |
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