h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"..and I'll send it along
with love
from me-di-a.."


Your invitation is tempting and well written. May I suggest you begin to issue 'press releases' such as the piece above to all the media. With the sense of style and enthusiasm demonstrated in what I have just read, I have no doubt someone will be seriously impressed. Of course I mean you should include all the international media as well as the UK and the hundreds of 'independent' producers there.

For example, on the LINKS link from my homepage you will find links to Canada's three TV networks. Send what you have written above under the heading PRESS RELEASE with some hype subheader like 'worlds largest sci-fi con' and it will be read by someone. It would only take one reporter or one producer somewhere in the world to take a shine to your project and go begging his bosses for a week in Glasgow to cover this 'important' event. You just have to find the right one. So spam the networks, all the networks.

Mark some as 'attention creative department', others address to 'news department' others to 'features editor', etc. And keep them coming even it seems like spamming to you. Sooner or later the right person will see it and respond. Isn't the internet wonderful for getting the news out! And with just over a year of lead time, there's plenty of time to organise a receptive pre-event tour for the first media to show an interest.

There is a dedicated SCI FI cable channel in Canada that has 'roving reporters'. They don't have big budgets but if they can tie a visit to Scotland into some other UK venture they would consider coming.
There are at least two SCI FI channels on US cable but I've never seen them and don't know the programming. There are also thousands of independent producers in North America.

And don't forget the Japanese!

peace
jwf - I'll be watching for more

Ta. We ain't that big an event, more looking for people on a UK wide scale, but all suggestions are gratefully received. World Con (the following year) is the one that needs to spam TV channels, but I'm sure they are, its run by practised individuals.

If your sending out a press release, then it has to look as though there's going to be a story in it, if you want a journalist to follow it up. If your being honest, the general public isn't going to be terribly interested in a science fiction convention. You may find yourself in the position of being laughed at in order to get maximum publicity. But it might be an idea to invite journalists along - they get a feature on the odd phenomenon of the Scifi convention in exchange for some free advance publicity. I think even one of the nationals might like that - it's the sort of feature that could easily appear in the Guardian G2 section.

For example:

http://www.observer.co.uk/magazine/story/0,11913,877565,00.html

Smashing. Sadly, being only a little con, we don't have the big names, or even big numbers to attract the media, or give them something to talk about. Still, this shows that there are plenty of nutters, sorry punters, out there to contact, for which I intend to ride the coat tails of bigger events. I am hoping to get an entire article out of going to the National SF Convention at Easter.