Publicity Officer

[JustinHorton]

Perhaps we can look at the gentleman's candidate statement.

In particular:

The ECF speaks to three key audiences; public funding bodies, corporate sponsors, the general
population (including chess players). My priority [+my bold - ejh] would be to draw up and implement a strategy for
communicating meaningfully with these groups with the clear goal of placing chess closer to the
forefront of the public imagination and enhancing the capacity of the Federation to realise its wider
objectives. This will involve a re-examination of all the resources at our disposal with particular
emphasis on the internet and social media marketing. It will also mean communicating more
effectively with mass media outlets particularly national newspapers and broadcasters

I mean just for starters -

a. How if at all, has he communicated "meaningfully with these groups", if indeed he has done so at all?
b. How has he re-examined "all the resources at our disposal"?
c. How has he communicated "more effectively with mass media outlets"? Has there been any communication of that nature at all, effective or otherwise?

This was his "priority". Presumably we can expect it to be undertaken - when? During the next six months?

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi

Some forward thinking guy has already nabbed 100bc.com
He comes from (and I'm not making this up....from Torquay!)

Yes Paul a dream.
But you got to have dream, else how you gonna have a dream come true.

Hi JB.
I would not count get a couple of looney Trekkies as a success.
However I think you should be on the Publicity Committee I like your style.
You are using this thread to advertise your blog.
Good. You saw a gap and you jumped. Just what we want.
Alert thinking.

I've been watching the X-Country Eventing in the Olympics, they have a smashing
Chess Fence. Have a look, it's on TV again today round about 14:00.
JB, you live in London sneak in and get an picture and make enquiries about
who designed it and what are they going to do with it when it's over.

[Jonathan Bryant]

However I think you should be on the Publicity Committee I like your style.
You are using this thread to advertise your blog.
Good. You saw a gap and you jumped. Just what we want.

I'm really not - just responding to Mike's post and giving examples. The blog doesn't need advertising - for the reason Ben Goldacre gives!

As for the Chess fence - somebody just texted me about that. I feel a chess-horse riding post coming on.

[Geoff Chandler]

"I'm really not."

Oh yes you are - you just did it again.

"The blog doesn't need advertising."

There is no doubt about it. You are on the committee. Infact you are the person
I have in mind as the chairman. Go for it. We need people like you.

What is your real job and how long a notice do you have to give to quit it.
a month, a fortnight, a week?

[Paul Cooksey]

c. How has he communicated "more effectively with mass media outlets"? Has there been any communication of that nature at all, effective or otherwise?

Ray Keene said some nice things about him on Twitter. Surely S&B approves strongly of this?

[Jonathan Bryant]

Chess mentioned on The Today Programme this morning. About 7:40 if you want to look for it on catch-up. Essentially a rehash of a piece in The Times about the Grand Prix coming to Simpsons.

Just a few seconds of coverage but it seems relevant to this debate.

[JustinHorton]

Did they say "but don't bother turning up because you won't get in"?

[Jonathan Bryant]

They did indeed mention that you'd have to follow it on the Internet.

[Neill Cooper]

The question of whether Mindsports, in particular chess and poker, should be included in the Olympics was mentioned on Today this morning. This was in the context of the Olympics having an upper age cut-off of 40 for most activities and so wanting to have something suitable for older people. Our oldest gold medal winner was in his 70s, he won an Art(!) gold medal in 1948.

[Jonathan Bryant]

This was in the context of the Olympics having an upper age cut-off of 40 for most activities ....

I never knew that. How is that not legally dubious? I can understand having a 'not good enough' cut off - which would exclude many older people in physical sports, no doubt - but "good enough but too old"? That's just weird.

[Neill Cooper]

This was in the context of the Olympics having an upper age cut-off of 40 for most activities ....

I never knew that. How is that not legally dubious? I can understand having a 'not good enough' cut off - which would exclude many older people in physical sports, no doubt - but "good enough but too old"? That's just weird.

Sorry, not a formal cut-off. Just that most competitors in most events are under 40.

[Ian Kingston]

This was in the context of the Olympics having an upper age cut-off of 40 for most activities ....

I never knew that. How is that not legally dubious? I can understand having a 'not good enough' cut off - which would exclude many older people in physical sports, no doubt - but "good enough but too old"? That's just weird.

Sorry, not a formal cut-off. Just that most competitors in most events are under 40.

The BBC has a breakdown of this year's medallists by age. The over 40s are (unsurprisingly) the smallest group.

[Jonathan Bryant]

Sorry, not a formal cut-off. Just that most competitors in most events are under 40.

The BBC has a breakdown of this year's medallists by age. The over 40s are (unsurprisingly) the smallest group.

Ah that makes sense about most medal winners and age group. Not that adding chess to the games would help that these days.