Times Tribune breakdown, interesting stats here.

Date: Aug 18, 2007

RE: Times Tribune breakdown, interesting stats here.

Date: Aug 18, 2007

This is interesting. Just last week, the paper was trying to get me to sponsor an ad on something, and I told her to call london, as they get all the sports coverage. She said they get ads from london too. But I never thought the numbers were this lop sided.

We have more clout here than we thought.

Date: Aug 24, 2007

I have read the Sentinol today (Friday) and they have a seperate section on all fall sports. Why can't the Times do the same. Its is only the laurel county schools also. I have also read the Times today and they have the area teams who played on Thursday night except Corbin Girls soccer team. My neighbor plays on this team and was expecting to see here in the paper with results today. How can you have Laurel County girls who played away last night and not have anything on Corbin girls who also played away?????????????????????? I think this is the point people are making with our paper. It just takes a phone call to coach and a file photo that you use daily in your paper. I will call my neighbor to find out how the girls did last night.

Date: Aug 24, 2007

Last poster has a good point. I thought times is working on this issue. You put in Laurel co sports over calling and putting in corbin soccer and golf.

Date: Aug 24, 2007

In defense of the Times-Tribune sports department, I do have to say these guys work very hard at what they do. I know for a fact that many times they try calling coaches to get stats, but because of late games, the coaches either can not return messages or choose not to until the next day. These guys work very late, long hours, and I think they deserve a little more respect. You try covering all the school districts in three counties with only two people on staff, on top of designing sports pages and special publications. I know from experience how difficult it is. Give them a break, they are just doing their job.

Date: Aug 24, 2007

You're right, we'll give them a break.
Take a break from the london/laurel county sports, concentrate on the corbin area sports, and it'll be fine.

We don't give a hoot about laurel county sports.

I don't know how much clearer it can be.

Date: Aug 24, 2007

Not being able to get a hold of a coach is just an excuse. With cell phones, e mail and even sites like this message board, communication has never been better. I agree with previous post, Ill give you a break from putting in Laurel co schools. I enjoyed seeing Lynn Camp, Williamsburg schools but lets leave out Laurel County Schools. There is no reason for not having the score of all fall sports in the paper. Get your priorities straight thats all it is.

Date: Aug 24, 2007

I agree! What about the athletes who go to school all day, practice and don't get paid for playing. Of course they play because they have to like it. Remember in a job its the little things you do that makes you successful. I believe if you cover all the sports you will make your paper better. They work just as hard, if not harder than the reporter do.

Date: Aug 24, 2007

Anonymous wrote:

You're right, we'll give them a break.
Take a break from the london/laurel county sports, concentrate on the corbin area sports, and it'll be fine.

We don't give a hoot about laurel county sports.

I don't know how much clearer it can be.

This poster is right on!

Date: Aug 24, 2007

Anonymous wrote:

In defense of the Times-Tribune sports department, I do have to say these guys work very hard at what they do. I know for a fact that many times they try calling coaches to get stats, but because of late games, the coaches either can not return messages or choose not to until the next day. These guys work very late, long hours, and I think they deserve a little more respect. You try covering all the school districts in three counties with only two people on staff, on top of designing sports pages and special publications. I know from experience how difficult it is. Give them a break, they are just doing their job.

Why don't you help them out and cover some of the sports they can't. You are wanting us to give them a break. Why don't you give them the break and help them. I bet you never played a sport in your life.

Date: Aug 24, 2007

I'm sure they will discontinue covering those "Outsiders" just 'cause you say so.

Date: Aug 25, 2007

Part of the issue is, when you read the paper the next day, and sort out the names with the articles and photos, you see them at the laurel county schools, not the local schools.

If Dixon lives in corbin, and corbin, lynn camp, whitley or w'burg played that day, and the next day his name is on the byline of a laurel sport with laurel pics, then he chose to do that , instead of covering the local sports.

No, sorry, excuses are a dime a dozen. I hope some of the local advertisers heed these numbers and put some pressure on them. I know I've personally spoken with at least 10 of the regular advertisers concerning this.

Date: Aug 25, 2007

Anonymous wrote:

I'm sure they will discontinue covering those "Outsiders" just 'cause you say so.

The talk of the town has been to cover the corbin teams. How hard is it to pick up the cell phone, call a coach, , and get a score. Then get some information on the game and put it in the paper. You use file photos all the time, so why not put one in. The Corbin town has talked on this issue for years. How do you think the athletes feel when their particular sport is not covered. Put yourself in a high school athletles shoes. Its not about an outsider, its about covering Corbin First then all the other teams should be covered if time allows. It should be a Corbin paper FIRST! The issue is not about outsiders, so stop trying to make this more than what it is.

Date: Aug 25, 2007

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm sure they will discontinue covering those "Outsiders" just 'cause you say so.

The talk of the town has been to cover the corbin teams. How hard is it to pick up the cell phone, call a coach, , and get a score. Then get some information on the game and put it in the paper. You use file photos all the time, so why not put one in. The Corbin town has talked on this issue for years. How do you think the athletes feel when their particular sport is not covered. Put yourself in a high school athletles shoes. Its not about an outsider, its about covering Corbin First then all the other teams should be covered if time allows. It should be a Corbin paper FIRST! The issue is not about outsiders, so stop trying to make this more than what it is.

GREAT POINT! YEAH HOW DO YOU THINK THE CORBIN KIDS FEEL WHEN THEY OPEN THE PAPER AND SEE LAUREL COUNTY SPORTS OVER THEIR SPORTS! OR BETTER YET ANY OTHER SCHOOL. PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SITUATION OR BETTER YET GET OUT AND HELP REPORT OUR SPORTS.

Date: Aug 25, 2007

ask yourself a question: HOW DO YOU THINK CORBIN AHTLETES FEEL WHEN THEY OPEN THEIR PAPER AND SEE ANY OTHER SCHOOL AS MAIN ARTICLE? (THESE ARE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS, WHO WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP IN SCHOOL, OFF DRUGS ETC!)
THEN: THEY LOOK FOR THEIR PARTICULAR SPORT IN PAPER,
NOT COVERED AGAIN!

REMEMBER THIS IS THE PAPER CORBIN ATHLETES READ!

Date: Aug 25, 2007

The answer for the Times would be to ignore what the people want. Dig that hole deeper. The Times today was very week for sports. I thought the idea of this board is to give feed back to help fix possible problems. If the people want local sports coverage then I would give it to them. What about getting the Corbin students to help cover the sports. Its seems they are very thin in that department and need some local help. It would be a good opportunity for Corbin students to help this paper.

Date: Aug 25, 2007

Excellent idea! Are there any future journalism majors? Also noticed that Lex Dixon, our sports reporter was at the North Laurel game. North Laurel lost and still got the main article. What reporter was at Corbin game? This is a very interesting issue.

Date: Aug 25, 2007

The bottom line for this thread overall was to show the amount of corbin business advertising versus london or other towns, as well as show the imbalance in the sports coverage. During that week, there was very litle sports going on, but, there was enough to see what we're talking about. It accomplished that. Check out the numbers for the week. Now, with fall sports in full swing, it would be more accurate as to the coverage.

Now, that said, it's up to us, the readers of both the paper and this board, to convey that to the business's. We can gripe all we want, but, we only spend $9 a month for our paper, or .50 a day, and thats it. The advertisers spend hundreds and thousands a month for their advertising. They are the ones the paper has to please.

No amount of griping to business's like Lowes, K mart, Walmart, etc, as they are corporate, and they have no dog in this fight overall. The people we need to talk with are the truly locally owned ones, the doctors, lawyers, smaller stores, the "business builder ad" people. The beauty shops, the used car lots,,,,even some of the restaurants. Those people matter.

The sponsorship pages, like the education pages and such, the paper goes to them and asks them to buy an ad on this page, to sponsor something, and they charge them extra for it. Maybe fifty or sixty bucks or so. That's where they get their extra money.

Then, there's the insert business, the little sales papers, the fliers, the coupon pages, they get big bucks for them.

Look through the paper today, and next week. Find a business you do business with, either daily, weekly, or even monthly. Tell them what you think. Tell them about the sports issue we have with the paper. And, tell them you'll go somewhere else if they continue to buy ads from them.

This site is a good starting place, and also a good place to make plans or pass on information, but, it won't do it all.

Date: Aug 25, 2007

Excellent post! I know so many people in the tri county area. I will get on it. I will do it for the athletes/students in the Corbin Area. I feel we owe it to the students/staff/coaches who give to so much. The paper should have realized by now what to do but I guess we will have to go to advertisers to really see the change. Thanks, concerned citizen who cares about kids.