Important :: Change of Nightnews email address and isp, important for ALL listings and fiends!

Contents

- Change of email address
- Opt-in to Nightnews-media content
- A few words about Nightnews publicity
- If you need a NEW FAST ISP

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Dear Nightnews fiends and music biz contacts

Change of email address and isp - my blueyonder account is now deactivated - this is my new email address and mail sent to the domain webmaster@nightnews.net will be fwd to me at a yahoo account from where I will reply to you. (I am not downloading mail to my local machine owing to spam issues - so if its urgent you can call me and if I can take the call I will.)

Cheap Skype Nightnews Voicemail available to you on ON REQUEST if you dial all the numbers. Also called nightnews at skype, so call or videochat free from anywhere. If you have my mobile number please use it.

Listings ~ if you are sending me music and event listings and press releases please send them to BOTH of the following addresses

webmaster@nightnews.net, Nightnews_Omega@yahoogroups.com

Listings have been delayed as I have moved house set up a new ISP account and reassembled my network. You can check your nightnews listings archived at the following link. Promoters and press may join this media group. The archive contains numerous examples of model listings and press releases

Open Archive http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NightNews-Media/

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Opt-in to Nightnews-media content for your rss reader, website or publication

You can also stay in touch with Nightnews publicity and projects by bookmarking or subscribing to the following Lists and RSS feeds

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Nightnews/
For anyone that supports Dark Music

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NightNews-Media/
Media and promoters

Under Developement :: Preview :: New :: General Music, Club & Gig News
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Nightnews_Omega/
Anyone can post event info to this list. It will be availabel to media and integrated on the Nightnews website

Nightnews Media RSS FEEDS FOR YOUR NEWSREADER / BROWSER
http://rss.groups.yahoo.com/group/NightNews-Media/rss
http://rss.groups.yahoo.com/group/Nightnews/rss
http://rss.groups.yahoo.com/group/Nightnews_Omega/rss
Anyone can link to these, intended for media

Myspace networking for unsigned bands and the Edinburgh Fringe..
http://groups.myspace.com/nightnewsunsigned
http://groups.myspace.com/nightnews
..for unsigned bands and all dark acts interested in booking into the Fringe

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A few words about Nightnews publicity.

Nightnews publicity is based on the webmasters prior formal involvement, credentials and experience in marketing, press and press relations, public relations and press information.

This support is available at a number of levels.

Basic listing support ~ distribution of client listings and pr to my extensive media contacts approx 650+ ~ please NO file attachments, jpgs or .docs please just send raw text and links to photobucket, imageshack, rapidshare etc for .jpegs and downloads

Nightnews Website ~ a listing on the nightnews.net website and link back (successful stats audited by google analytics)

Nightnews Newsletter ~ a mention in the nightnews newsletter circ 6600 to several nightnews owned and maintained music and on topic lists

External Lists ~ seeded mention on multiple on-topic lists on Usenet, community bulletin boards and other internet communities online. New media list researched by nightnews

Advice and assistance on various aspects of the publicity mix. How to write a listing, press release. Flyer and poster design, printers and distribution lists. Cross promotional development. Cross referencing your print and web assets. The best times to put on a club/event across the year. All with special reference to Edinburgh but nightnews media has national and international reach in specific instances

Timings :: all copy has to be distributed in time to make copy dates at the publication end. These is up to 6 weeks for monthlies, 4 weeks for bi monthlies and 1 or 2 weeks for weeklies and everyone else. 2 or 3 days notice is barely adequate for dailies and for radio stations. So for maximum coverage please allow as much time as possible.

Level of support :: This can be from basic listings or a passive mention on the website to fully proactive support and inclusion in all of the nightnews information channels, timeously provided to the media, nightnews subscribers and lists that we post to.

Why bother :: Nightnews practices systematic marketing to reduce risk. Risk is defined as the amount of money you may lose at the door if your event is not succesful. If you are running an excellent and newsworthy event then there will be demand for information about it.

Advisory :: having a great event is not enough, over the years nightnews has found the following to be true and serve as additional guidelines to ensure good attendance. A) Follow your demographic = if the students are your customers and are away probably best not to bother or spend too much. B) Dont clash with other nights featuring the same genre = talk to other promoters and if you are e.g. goth or indie etc etc, try try not to be on at the same time, or on the same night, it just confuses clubbers. Other than that you will be in the hands of venue bookers. C) get all your publicity out in good time, flyers and listings should start going out 6 weeks before your event. posters 2 weeks. D) Make sure your event is excellent or they won't come back again! Avoid having the SAME djs at similiar genre nights, this just makes all of the events BORING and PREDICTABLE eventually. Allow fresh blood onto the decks. Change your dj every 35 mins (few dj's can maintain interest all night.) E) Do something for CHARITY once in a while, you may have to give all the money away after break even but it will be worth it in terms of PRESS EXPOSURE before during and after. F) Play NICE. Harassment, dirty tricks or trying to sabotage another promoters events by approaching their venue (typical) or writing crap about them on the internet may get you a visit from local law enforcement these days and a very bad press. Compete ONLY on the QUALITY of your event. G) Guests: Have a paid for guest list and get a couple of quid off all your guests. ONLY VIPS and those that have worked on the event should be considered for anything more. H) Gigs: If you put on a Touring band make sure they go on with local bands with loads of mates. Touring bands rarely bring their mates with them unless they are really special! I) God gave you eyes PLAGIARISE :: use the nightnews systematic marketing structure as a model for building support for your own nights, bands and venues J) Don't get wasted at your own night. No drgz at your event and you may survive to have another! Trust me I know! ;-)

A final note. Though nightnews is specialized in goth, rock, metal and dark events its the same media contact list for everyone involved in music. Over the years Nightnews has helped numerous music clubs, bands, gigs, art openings, spoken word nights, charity events, theatre productions, film releases and has been accredited at the Edinburgh Fringe, the largest arts festival in the world for 3 Years!

Whats it cost? Its totally FREE but customary to offer the webmaster complimentary entrance to the event in return for access to some or all of the above assets :-)

Ok hope you are having fun out there and hope to hear from you all and see you about.

Any questions and special projects please get back to me.

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:: ISP :: Do you need a NEW FAST ISP? My plusnet account connects at 8.1 mbs (Virgin ex blueyonder could barely do 2.1mbs despite their claimed 20mbs which is pish!)

:: Nightnews is using and recommends Plusnet the UK's Best Overall Provider (uSwitch Survey, May 2007). To paraphrase their sales pitch, 'The Plusnet 90-day guarantee means anyone can join without risk of being lumbered with a crap ISP. So please quote NIGHTNEWS at force9 as your referrer in the sign-up box if you decide to join up and use it too :-) And you get a FREE WIRELESS ROUTER as well!! (No charge if you stay signed up.)
http://www.plus.net/images/referrals/promo/signup_referral.jpg
Check its kewl for your address at
http://portal.plus.net/exchangechecker/index.php
Find out more at
http://portal.plus.net/residential/
All the great options and deals at this link here
http://portal.plus.net/residential/broadband/?WT.svl=bbyw_ban
(..and you can get them to sort your phone line rental and exchange connection as well as it works out cheaper than BT's and you can avoid BT entirely that way mwahaha!) And they are working to actively reduce spam, see
http://community.plus.net/blog/2008/01/08/fight-against-spam/
Respect to you Plusnet ;-)

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Nightnews

Skype-in: ON REQUEST with voicemail
SKYPE dial/call free

Get Skype here http://www.skype.com/
[ICQ 51979600 chat - only on email or phoned request.]

Please do not send me any msword, or non-text files; send links only.

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Established 1999
by http://www.nightnews.net
Thats all folks..

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Over 100 reasons why Nightnews will not market or actively support any existing, purported goth dj or promoter from Edinburgh again....

In 2007 I wrote, "Harry S Truman, 33rd President of the United States said, "Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day" and I would rather kick fresh turds about in the summer than ever market or actively support any existing, purported goth dj or promoter from Edinburgh again..."

2008 Update :: There remains a complete embargo on proactive publicity from this end on all longstanding Dark Edinburgh DJ's, Clubs, Festivals and Promoters owing to serial harassment, malicious gossip, stalking, hate speech, slurs, attempts at character assassination, suspected drink spiking, threats (of violence or worst) and other attempts at intimidation from these sources and their friends, circles, cliques, acquaintances and general sock puppets in 2006 and 2007 on the internet and in real life....

We identify the guilty and provide screen shots of some of the implicated and some of their actions on line by their internet handles here

More to follow here soon? Quite possibly.....

...and further instances will involve further relevant e.g., Licensing Standards, Police, Community Safety etc etc., attention.

have a nice life

and best regards to my friends and supporters
Dark_Lord of Nightnews
Scotland UK
http://www.nightnews.net
http://www.myspace.com/house_of_games
http://nightnews.livejournal.com/profile
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/NightNews-Media/ http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Nightnews/
http://consortofblood.bebo.com
http://blog.myspace.com/house_of_games

Endnote :: Toxic People. People who are negative, like the ones I describe in the above post, can rob some of your energy too if you let them. There are a few actions you can take. Spend as little time as possible with negative people. Make a commitment to not engage with negative people. Don't let them feed on your support, by taking part in their projects. Don't hang out with them. Don't go to the pubs and clubs they frequent. Don't sit with them. Don't let them set up cliques and spread division. Don't network with them on LJ or other social networking sites. Don't let them use you or take your money. Don't have their so called 'clubs' in your Venues. Don't let them manipulate you. Don't be their puppet. Don't let them feed you their lies and slanders or be too hasty to believe everything they say uncritically. Don't take part in ostracizing any one person, any other project or other group, to be their 'so called' friend. Don't be sucked into the negative games they play. Don't take part in any hate campaigns they set up or fuel with negative gossip. Don't be their customer. Don't go to their shops. Don't give them the attention they feed on. Don't be anywhere around them so they can turn on you as well! Don't fight with them. Don't expect better from them. Instead try to practice compassion for them. Maybe their negativity is a reflection of pain in their life. Focus on that when having to deal with them. Be kind and make it a point to spend time with positive people every day...

We make a few comments about malicious stalking, harassment and gossip online and in person, with special reference to the Edinburgh scene.


But first of all why not take the poll at the foot of the page ...

Then get a nice cup of tea to pass the time and relax while you wait for me to write this little blog up in due course ...

cheers
Nightnews

I keep meaning to write more stuff here, in the nightnews blogosphere, but the real world keeps intervening haha

Things I keep meaning to write about in no particular order:

How to publicise a club or event.
Having gone to the trouble of qualifying myself in marketing and having worked in 'press information' and suchlike for some years, then later new media, it seemed perfectly natural to devote my spare time to helping out a few good but under-subscribed (aka almost empty) alternative music events back in '98 or so.

Unfortunately this has been the cause of some bitchery over the years as people fall in and out with each other, me included haha. It just goes to show that the 'road to hell is paved with good intentions' as they say. Or if you are sociologically inclined you may prefer to call it the 'law of unintended consequences.'

Anyhow in the unlikely event that I ever write about this subject in detail it will include all of the steps you need to follow to:-
- minimise risk (of losing ££ by poor attendance) by
- being systematic
- being timeous
- having an integrated plan
- flyer design and when and how to flyer
- poster design and how to poster
- media and how to get listings or pre event publicity ~ just ask me anyways
- how to get press coverage for your event ~ ditto above
- running your own subscriber communities and mailing lists
- posting on topic notices to relevant communities and mailing lists
- having a website (or myspace these days ~ haha)

If you are clever you can probably work it out for yourself from the above hints haha. You can also visit the nightnews website to spot all the relevant communities and mailing lists, neatly arranged by City.

I have lent support totally free to numerous clubs over the years as well as carrying out my own so I know what I am talking about. In fact I have had theatres and film distributors ask me nicely to help and had a fair number of columns, whole pages and a double centre page spreads devoted to goth. How kewl was that ~ it was all positive stuff too and not exploitative as some other efforts have been.

Oh yeah ~ I should have added that you really must have an excellent club night or event before you even start. If your event is poor, people won't believe you next time and they won't come back. Being forced to listen to lame or predictable music just to hear a few good tracks is not something most people are willing to pay for.

Also ~ Is it worth doing? That sort of depends what you want out of it. The financial pages of the Glasgow Herald are on record as saying that the Edinburgh music scene is as competitive as London but margins are low for bars and promoters alike. That is because we have less people than London. So if you follow the above erm Nightnews schedule, you may break even. If you are doing it to 'conquer the universe' you may find the local goth scene is maybe a poor substitute and you should find a better way to spend your time. I have had a few laughs and some good fun out of it but this is far outweighed by the more sordid aspects of the local scene.

Well ~ maybe I will write a few more paragraphs sometime.... or maybe its all best left in the obscurity it deserves in favour of better causes.

The Goth Scene in Edinburgh
This has had its ups and downs over the years, but too many clubs, factions, crazies and not enough happy customers (not to mention the unfriendly ones) willing to get along with each other these days, mean its having a big 'downer' right now... Not only that but the music played in most is lagging the development of gothic music in the 'rest of the world.' The venues are becoming gadgier all the time and numbers of real goths seem generally in decline. You can have a better goth night these days by staying in and surfing Myspace.

There are also so many layers of 'bat guano' in Edinburgh that I can only suggest that, 'the true, educated, well adjusted or happier goths,' do the 'goth thang' in neighbouring cities or at proper festivals like Whitby.

Oddly enough this problem has been reported in the New York goth scene as well! Too bad.

Whatever next?
Well check out successful, progressive goth clubs around the world. Check their music policies. They are different, progressive and more varied (covering more genres) than is played here in Scotland. You can draw some conclusions from that! Will it ever catch on here? I really think its too late to go back to how things were at this stage in the game....

The future is now

Till next time.

DLoN