Commercial nous needed at Greyhound Racing NSW
A COUPLE of points about the GRNSW TV advertisements now running in the middle of footy broadcasts. Well, three actually. Initially, I thought good on Paul Newson & co for making an attempt to influence public opinion. I don’t think he has got it right but the effort is there.
However, the key issue is that the ad and the new website (embracingchange.com.au) relate what the authority has been doing AFTER the events occurred. It is a reactive process, which is pretty normal for racing authorities. Being proactive never seems to occur to them, something that is typical of administrators concerned with neatness above all. It is hard to see anyone changing their view of greyhound racing as a result of this approach. Indeed, it might remind many that abuses did occur.
The second major issue is that the ad concentrates on nice people rather than dogs. Tactically and strategically, that poses two problems. I doubt it will be believed by the man in the street as his attitude is already coloured by pictures of live baiting. Secondly, surely the big deal is that the greyhound breed should be the highlight of any PR efforts. The public may well accept that bad apples will (and have been) thrown out of the industry but, in the short to medium term, there is no way they will take on their replacements, nice or not. Nor will they change their view of the breed, mainly because they are still not informed about it.
Yes, we need serious public relations programs but they have to champion the breed itself, not a motley collection of trainers with whom the public will never connect – or not in this way.
Whatever good it does do is not being helped by the extraordinary diatribe handed out at the start of hearings at the Special Commission of Inquiry by “counsel assisting”, as Judge McHugh’s offsider is known. This Royal Commission style parallel – like the one on union abuses – did no more than list a horrific stream of nasty events and call into question the validity of the greyhound racing industry at any price. Admittedly, my comment is based on TV reportage as transcripts are not yet available. However, I would have thought that both the counsel and McHugh should act as impartial observers at this stage – ie while all the facts are still being scrutinised.
After all, the job of the Special Commission is to investigate, not to prosecute. So far, it is not a good look.
Non-stayers and non-reports
Given my recent warnings about distance dogs over-racing it is appropriate to check how they fared last Saturday (September 26). The Meadows and Wentworth Park each saw two events run.
The handicap at The Meadows turned out to be a bit of a non-event – six dogs drawn and one late scratching left five to run. The two outsiders ran the Quinella while the three favourites bit the dust. Two of those favourites had raced the previous week. Very ho-hum.
In the Topcat Video Cup final the first and third favourites failed badly, leaving Seeking Justice, the second favourite, to take out the $25,000 prize after leading all the way. To my mind, both Lady Toy and Shanlyn Lucy raced like tired dogs, showing no spark at all. They finished 5th and 7th after having every chance. Yes, Lady Toy began poorly but that is part of my assessment that it is racing ordinarily.
Here are comparisons between their previous runs and last Saturday (handicap times corrected as necessary)
. Transcripts are here and have been available since the end of the first day.
.http://www.greyhoundracinginquiry.justice.nsw.gov.au/Pages/Transcripts.aspx
Newson seems like a sound chap but he may well be hamstrung by his senior staff and probably needs Ministerial approval to do anything substantial, would then be watered down. He was clearly livid about the Hunter trial track inquiry fiasco. I would have thought heads would rolled at GRNSW before now.
The extraordinary opening remarks were no doubt a surprise, especially to the Government. The Vic’s are feeling the pressure, the Tasmanians are simply using the template of the last NSW joke of an inquiry.
Its not looking good but business as usual hey?
You are right and you are wrong IMHO. In terms of focusing on people, it looks like one of those classic attempts at bringing out someone who looks nice as cover for the rest of the rotten apples. People are not easily fooled. As far as the public is concerned wheeling out a couple of people who on the surface may appear nice does nothing to address the fact that well over 10,000 greyhounds are killed each year (and most likely very close to the 17k quoted).
And here is the other thing that p…..es people off. Its all very well for the industry to say it was just a few bad apples, but clearly EVERYONE knew it was going on, and nobody did anything about it. So the public are tarnishing ALL people with the same brush, and rightly so. It is simply not good enough to hold up your hands and go ‘Nothing to do with me guv’nor’ … where were you Mr Joe Average Trainer when this was going on and you heard whispers? Did you express your concerns? No. Did you address concerns over the rampant overbreeding in the industry? No. Therefore don’t come crying me a river when the hammer drops on your head. You had your chance. You blew it.
The TV campaign is a costly waste of money. Note that the website has NO social media links at all, so how on earth they think this campaign will ‘catch on’ is anyones business. But finally here is where you are wrong. The campaign doesnt need to focus on the breed. I have two adopted retired greyhound and to a man everytime I meet someone on the street they first ask if they are rescue greyhounds (aka are you a good guy or bad guy) and the second thing they say is how lovely they are. The public dont have an issue with the breed, so focusing on the breed would also have been a daft waste of time. The public know the issue lies with the industry. From the management who did nothing, to the participants who did NOTHING while all this was going on. I know most trainers think they are innocent but in the eyes of the public they sat there, doing nothing, and to them, that makes them complicit.
You are right and you are wrong IMHO. In terms of focusing on people, it looks like one of those classic attempts at bringing out someone who looks nice as cover for the rest of the rotten apples. People are not easily fooled. As far as the public is concerned wheeling out a couple of people who on the surface may appear nice does nothing to address the fact that well over 10,000 greyhounds are killed each year (and most likely very close to the 17k quoted).
And here is the other thing that p…..es people off. Its all very well for the industry to say it was just a few bad apples, but clearly EVERYONE knew it was going on, and nobody did anything about it. So the public are tarnishing ALL people with the same brush, and rightly so. It is simply not good enough to hold up your hands and go ‘Nothing to do with me guv’nor’ … where were you Mr Joe Average Trainer when this was going on and you heard whispers? Did you express your concerns? No. Did you address concerns over the rampant overbreeding in the industry? No. Therefore don’t come crying me a river when the hammer drops on your head. You had your chance. You blew it.
The TV campaign is a costly waste of money. Note that the website has NO social media links at all, so how on earth they think this campaign will ‘catch on’ is anyones business. But finally here is where you are wrong. The campaign doesnt need to focus on the breed. I have two adopted retired greyhound and to a man everytime I meet someone on the street they first ask if they are rescue greyhounds (aka are you a good guy or bad guy) and the second thing they say is how lovely they are. The public dont have an issue with the breed, so focusing on the breed would also have been a daft waste of time. The public know the issue lies with the industry. From the management who did nothing, to the participants who did NOTHING while all this was going on. I know most trainers think they are innocent but in the eyes of the public they sat there, doing nothing, and to them, that makes them complicit.
. Transcripts are here and have been available since the end of the first day.
.http://www.greyhoundracinginquiry.justice.nsw.gov.au/Pages/Transcripts.aspx
Newson seems like a sound chap but he may well be hamstrung by his senior staff and probably needs Ministerial approval to do anything substantial, would then be watered down. He was clearly livid about the Hunter trial track inquiry fiasco. I would have thought heads would rolled at GRNSW before now.
The extraordinary opening remarks were no doubt a surprise, especially to the Government. The Vic’s are feeling the pressure, the Tasmanians are simply using the template of the last NSW joke of an inquiry.
Its not looking good but business as usual hey?
I’ve got two as well, one muzzled because he goes cats, but otherwise a lovely dog that had 50 odd races
. I too get asked if they are pets and often hear “you just don’t see any, why is that? I just tell them that most get put down, its the only real reason I can think of why they’re are not that many around.
I’ve got two as well, one muzzled because he goes cats, but otherwise a lovely dog that had 50 odd races
. I too get asked if they are pets and often hear “you just don’t see any, why is that? I just tell them that most get put down, its the only real reason I can think of why they’re are not that many around.
There should be a law against trolling Barbara Windsor well Babs F564,)$ OFF
There should be a law against trolling Barbara Windsor well Babs F564,)$ OFF