ARTS MEDIA COVERAGE SPOTLIGHTED
AT FRINGE FEST TENT TALKS
Should media feel any obligation to cover arts events
and issues? Could the arts sector send better messages?
A better way? How can we encourage greater quality and quantity
of arts coverage by the media? These questions sparked lively
discussion at a panel discussion: Under the Radar: Where
are Toronto arts in local media? presented by Toronto Arts
Coalition on July 8 at the Toronto
Fringe Festival tent at the TRANZAC Club.
Hosted by local performer and publicist, Keith Cole, the
event brought together a mix of artists, editors and producers
to discuss the state of arts coverage in Toronto.
Panelists included Jim Garrard (Toronto
Arts Council/Foundation), Janine Fawcett (Publicist),
Susan Feldman (CBC
Radio), John Terauds (Toronto
Star), Pamila Matharu (Visual Artist; Independent Arts
Facilitator at Gladstone
Hotel), Heather Allin (Actor, ACTRA),
Jessica Wyman (Writer, Curator, and Art Historian).
Panellists talked about how to raise intellectual level
of arts discourse in media, the need for a Canadian star
system, and the nuts and bolts of how to attract the attention
of editors and producers.
All panellists expressed strong support for increased and
quality arts coverage. While it was pointed out that media
have an obligation to serve the interests of their consumers
and shareholders, they can not really be said to have any
obligation to serve the needs of the arts community.
Some panellists thought that pressure applied to editors
and publishers by consumers or, even, shareholders would
effectively encourage more and better arts coverage. The
sector needs to understand who they are approaching in the
media and what their interests are and shape their pitch
accordingly. General press releases that blanket the media
have a low yield of success.
Highlights that came out of the discussion:
Message to arts presenters:
- Research, research, research. Get to know media outlets,
editors, producers and writers. What type of stories do
they tend to present? What is their focus?
- Is your event appropriate for mainstream press? Would
it be more to your advantage to promote your event to
alternative outlets, such as web-based media?
- Does your event connect to a bigger theme? What are
the angles?
- When pitching your event, the shorter the better. Make
it concise. Editors and producers are very busy and appreciate
bite size information that catch their attention.
- Is your forte in marketing or publicity? Do you need
to partner with someone who can lend that skill?
- Note: there are no guarantees that the story you present
to the press is the story that they are going to tell.
- What do you do about nasty, mean-spirited reviews? –
Write to the editor and complain. They do listen.
- Work with columnists, who are more likely to dig beneath
mere reportage. Offer them interview subjects who are
thoughtful and thought provoking
- Sure, we’re all interested in publicizing our
events and having them well reviewed, but we also need
to ensure that larger arts issues are addressed by media.
Message to media:
- Don’t underestimate the intelligence of Torontonians.
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