Personal website of journalist Jonathan Walker

I Was The Only Person to Turn Up to the Press Conference

Thursday, 30 April 2009 22:42 Written by Jonathan Walker

An embarrassing situation earlier this week, when I attended a press conference - and was the only person to turn up.

There was a Cabinet Minister, a podium, coffee and about a dozen press officers and officials.

It was awkward because the event had been organised especially for regional political editors - and we frequently push the Government PR machine to pay more attention to the needs of local papers (in fairness, that doesn't mean they do a bad job already).

The Cabinet Minister, Harriet Harman, scarpered and left me to talk to a more junior minister, but I can't get too upset about that.

But I can also explain why nobody else went. The topic was the Government's new equality Bill - which had already been reported in great detail before the press conference even took place, due both to official announcements and "leaks" (stories placed with selected papers).

I still thought it was worth going, because the diversity of the West Midlands arguably makes equality laws even more important and because one of my papers, the Birmingham Post, has a business slant. The Bill is very relevant to employers.

But I can understand why other local journalists felt it was a waste of time.

So press officers, please remember that the local press do want to work with you, but we have the same criteria as the nationals - something has to be true, interesting and new to be considered a story.

And if you tip me off in advance of the official statement, I'm very discreet.