Competing for page 1... A free Wii or nannygate?
Today's news competed with features content and reader offers for the front page of today's Birmingham Mail.
Four teenagers jailed for breaching their ASBOs was the best story, with pix of the 'Frankley nightmares' for the package too.
But the p1 boost needed to push our 20-page What's On offering, including pix of Angelina Jolie and Dolly Parton, plus a mention of the 150 cinema tickets we had to give away, and not forgetting the chance to win a Nintendo Wii and games.
The first draw of p1 had the boost in what I call an upside-down L-shape, dominating two thirds of available space and leaving a box shape for the splash and pic.
On many days this may have been the right approach. But I'm essentially a news man, and the emerging story this morning is more pressure on Tory chairman Caroline Spelman to resifn over her 'nanny-gate' controversy.
I wanted that on p1 as well!
Splash sub today was Gary Young, and a quick bit of mouse-work saw the boost kept to the top of the page, managing to encapsulate What's On, Dolly, cinema ticket and Wii without losing to much projection.
This left the full half page below to run the Frankley tearaways as well as a second lead space for Spelman.
News junkie? Maybe, but if Spelman's gone by the end of the day then the Mail will be seen as carrying the story in the right place.
Oh, and the focus on Spelman gave me the chance to use created the term 'nanny-gate' for the story and headline today as well!
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Steve Dyson
Blog from the Editor on recent issues and events.
The addition of 'gate' to any minor scandal is cliched and tiresome. Nothing to be proud of, not that you created the term anyway
Disagree. In Teesside, a few editing moons ago, when a local MP had his garden fences replaced using taxpayers' dosh, we dubbed in 'gardengate'. V. popular story and the term exists and is used to tease to this date.
My point is, any term that simplifies what can be boring politics in a way that everyday readers can identify is a useful tool.
Try googling 'nanny-gate'. Been around for years.
The addition of 'gate' used to mean that the scandal was serious and long running - see 'Watergate'. Now it gets added to any minor or trivial indiscretion. I cannot see how that helps readers.
Not doubting the origins, Clifford. Blunkett comes to mind. I meant 'created' on the day in that story and headline, but it can be misread... I've corrected the blog.
What's long-running? In my mind, the '-gate' suffix is a term that personifies any political scandal that lasts more than a couple of days. This is the case with Spelman (a month?).
I think it can be a tremendous help for readers. One, it brackets together stories about a particular issue. Two, it adds a lighter tone. See p2 of NoW today. Not my favourite paper, but at least trying to bring 'nannygate' into the awareness of its readers.