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How We Can Prevent Bad Press In The Future?


nickie218

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I rarely post to the message boards but read them quite often. One thing that has bothered me is the recent bomb scares due to cache containers. I am one of those people who think that by going to authorities to educate them on geocaching might actually ban caches in that town. I live in the Ft lauderdale area so the thought of sharing a cheeseburger with the local sheriff and discussing geocaching just wont work.

 

So my question is what will?? Is GC.com doing aything to help promote the hobby in a positive manner to authorities, perhaps by producing a FAQ phamplet to send to local authorities?

 

Another thing that bugs me to no end is that fact that many editors of the stories refer to ALL cache containers as "black boxes". This is where I think that educating them might help.

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I don't think anything will matter much. The press needs things to cause a stir and reporting with a slant like "BLACK BOX" or any other buzz term will generate more readers. More readers make more money and that's what it's all about. Money talks. Just like TV, it's all about money... Ratings = money too...

 

I watched a late night news editorial a while back and they were talking about the weapons ban... They showed a guy shooting a full auto machine gun and said it was one of the "types" of weapons on the ban list. The truth is, anyone can own a fully automatic rifle or machine gun. There are no laws against it... I called the station and they told me it didn't matter if what they showed was not right.

 

Jon.

Edited by The Foster Clan
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You are right about the media, and I guess the same can be said about newspapers althought the Miami Herald, which really isnt known for being low-key actually ran a front page article on geocaching. I was the lucky one who got to show the writer to the cache location. I tried to explain to her that many people like myself cache with our young kids or are females caching alone and for the most part it is a relatively safe sport.

 

With all the talk of obesity in America, this is one activity that appeals to those computer kids but has an outdoor aspect to it.

 

Edited to change link since the Herald makes you sign up first to read the article(very annoying)

Edited by nickie218
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Although I don't have the facts to substantiate it, I'm sure the ratio of bad press (about geocaching) to good press is probably around 1:1,000. Bad press will occur (about anything); there's little to be done about that. The best thing we, as a geocaching community, can do, is to continue geocaching and enjoying the positive aspects of our hobby. Actions speak louder than words. :mad:

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Here is a link to a positive article on Geocaching in the Foster's Daily Democrat newspaper that serves the seacoast area of NH. The reporter did a good job seeing he had never heard of geocaching a week before he wrote the article. I am the person he interviewed for the story.

 

http://www4.fosters.com/October_2004/10.16...ews/ro1016a.asp

 

Oh, the story ran with a large photo on page 1. Nice to see that stories like this are considered real news.

Edited by rjb43nh
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