Beware a hungry media pack on the scent of a good story

If proof were needed that backpacker vehicle rental companies are now well and truly in the spotlight, look no further than yesterday’s Northern Territory News, which carries a story about two travellers left stranded in the Outback when their Backpacker Campervan broke down, allegedly due to poor maintenance.  

Leaving aside the fact the story contains unsubstantiated allegations and no response from Backpacker Campervans itself, one has to wonder how a story which would usually be found in the News In Brief column was deemed worthy of 300 words and a picture of the distraught couple looking, erm, quite happy with life as it happens.

Well, you don’t have to wonder for long, because the clue is in the second paragraph: “The Northern Territory News last week reported about a Wicked campervan that had failed a roadworthy check – but it seems Wicked is not the only rental company to send cars on the road that break down.”

I’ve seen this happen in news rooms from London to Sydney. A story becomes “fashionable” and all your news editor wants is stories that fit the agenda – in this case, “backpackers are being left stranded in the Outback by unscrupulous car rental companies who prey on their naivety and desperation to see the country on a limited budget”.

It might not be true – it’s certainly a gross over-simplification – but that’s not going to stop a hungry media pack on the scent of a good story. Let’s just hope their colleagues in our source markets don’t get a sniff.

By Martin Lane  ·  January 19th, 2010 at 11:40 am

  • Email This Post
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • MySpace
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • Technorati Favorites
  • Delicious
  • StumbleUpon

Comments


  1. Wicked Evangelist
    19 Jan 10
    3:07 pm

    2. Not only as a Wicked representative but as a reader it makes me angry that we were being attacked for the same thing last week, but no one was jumping to our defence. Only now that another company has been brought into the spotlight do you acknowledge that the media can spin things and exaggerate to make a good story. Why is it a case of, if it’s about Wicked it must be true but about someone else it must be a ‘gross over-simplification’?

  2. Martin Lane
    19 Jan 10
    3:34 pm

    3. Thanks for that Wicked Evangelist

    If you haven’t already done so, have a read of my (largely supportive) opinion piece from last week. I make the point there that Wicked has become a victim of its own success, its brilliant marketing winning it media attention which, unfortunately, can be a double-edged sword if the press gets hold of a negative story.

    Cheers

    Martin – Thumbrella

  3. Wicked Evangelist
    19 Jan 10
    4:55 pm

    4. I appreciate your support there Martin, and I apologise if it does not appear that way.
    I feel it is just frustrating that we are referred to as the ‘dodgy’ campervan company when Backpacker Campervans are seen as the victims of the negative press. I think this story is the first of many to come, with unhappy campers from all companies coming out of the woodwork to share their tales.
    I think if anything this article has shown that no rental company is immune to the occassional mechanical breakdown.

  4. greg cole
    20 Jan 10
    11:39 am

    5. Wicked Evangelist is correct: Nothing on four wheels covering cast distances is immune to occasional breakdowns. Its a fact of business for us and all transport companies. And for the most part you cannot predict where, or when. Sadly for Wicked though as Martins Lane points out, the high profile makes for a more interesting story (or at least the media thinks so).

  5. Anonymous
    20 Jan 10
    12:08 pm

    6. Let’s not forget though that as well as Wicked Campers’ profile being a contributor to the media attention, they also had a lot more than one vehicle at the centre of the story. The story was a story because their fleet was under investigation not just the breakdown of one vehicle. I’m sure every company has had a vehicle breakdown as Greg mentioned but it’s definitely not newsworthy.

    Comparing the Backpacker Campervans story with the Wicked one is like comparing apples with oranges.

Have your say