"Texas Monthly" Not Interested

[NativeNewYorker]

I recently pitched a story on International Child Abduction to Texas Monthly Magazine. Given its large circulation and the fact that there are Texans (I didn't mention any names)who are directly affected, I really thought they would be interested in running an in depth feature on the issue, but no. I don't get it:nixweiss:

[JonathanR]

probably gonna take a name and a face to help spur the human interest. funny how with david and sean, so many networks missed the boat and then after it heated up, they lambasted nbc for their "journalism ethics" following the flight back.
 
i remember last year when i talked to a few people in dc who either worked for magazines and the washingtonpost or knew someone who did about covering the goldman case. they took my email to the editors and i emailed them directly. never heard anything....
 
i don't know what it takes to make people care.

[NativeNewYorker]

I think there's a sense of apathy now that the Goldman case is settled and Sean is home.  It's as if editors think the overall problem is a done deal, all abducted children will now be coming home in compliance with the Hague and therefore, all cases closed. It boggles my mind.  And the mainstream print media wonders why they're losing their audience to digital media and blogs. I'm frustrated, but I'm stubborn if nothing else, so I'll just change tack and in addition to pitching print, set up a blog and hit up digital media outlets.

[pam.in.ny]

I think there's a sense of apathy now that the Goldman case is settled and Sean is home.  It's as if editors think the overall problem is a done deal, all abducted children will now be coming home in compliance with the Hague and therefore, all cases closed. It boggles my mind.  And the mainstream print media wonders why they're losing their audience to digital media and blogs. I'm frustrated, but I'm stubborn if nothing else, so I'll just change tack and in addition to pitching print, set up a blog and hit up digital media outlets.

I have to agree, there is a sense of apathy. I've sent out over a dozen letters to the editor, some out of state but mostly to papers in NY. Only three were published. One in our local paper, one in OH and one in VT. Perhaps the papers think that I'm another Ellie Light. :conf: Granted, I am not a local to those papers but still, I am sure there are readers in their readership who care and aren't aware of the plight of others LBP. I don't intend to give up but do wish we could get H.R. 3240 passed and come up with ways of making the general public more aware. We aren't getting any help from the media anymore.

Pam

[Kerry]

I've been thinking this through and although Bob and the other "insiders" may not agree with my thoughts, I am voicing them anyway..........

David has expressed his interest and intentions of helping other LBP's now that Sean is home.

I think the only way we are going to rally attention to the hilt, is if David himself comes out and shows what he is actually doing in this regard.
It is all very well stating that he wants to help and is concerned about other LBP's, and stating numbers whenever he is interviewed, but if people actually see he IS doing, then our help (in the background), will come on the tails of what he is doing.

We don't have a voice to speak on behalf of all the LBP's and are not being taken seriously.
The subject is not being taken seriously
But with David showing that he is leading this campaign, we can take this to a new level.
Right now we seem to be wasting our time and efforts in trying to rally the media etc.

David's voice and actions in this regard are paramount to our success.

Whilst I realise that David could not be an active part of "Bring Sean Home" before, I cannot see why he should not now become part of this army of willing volunteers, actively helping other LBP's, as we helped and supported him.

If he is doing something "in the background" that we know nothing of, then perhaps we should be told what he is doing, so we can capitalise on that

Just my opinion...........

[pam.in.ny]

I have to agree, there is a sense of apathy. I've sent out over a dozen letters to the editor, some out of state but mostly to papers in NY. Only three were published. One in our local paper, one in OH and one in VT. Perhaps the papers think that I'm another Ellie Light. :conf: Granted, I am not a local to those papers but still, I am sure there are readers in their readership who care and aren't aware of the plight of others LBP. I don't intend to give up but do wish we could get H.R. 3240 passed and come up with ways of making the general public more aware. We aren't getting any help from the media anymore.

Pam

I tried editing my original post but it wouldn't work. I just wanted to add that my total count of published letters to the editor is now four. The newspaper in Plattsburg, NY was published yesterday.:-)

That makes four and gives me hope and encourage to write more.

Pam

[SageDad]

I recently pitched a story on International Child Abduction to Texas Monthly Magazine. Given its large circulation and the fact that there are Texans (I didn't mention any names)who are directly affected, I really thought they would be interested in running an in depth feature on the issue, but no. I don't get it:nixweiss:

As a writer I'm sure you understand catering to your audience.  I'm not sure what the typical demographic of readers of that publication is or what articles they typically run but this is an issue of particular importance to Texas due to their proximity to Mexico.  Texas courts have actually held that Mexico's legal system is inneffective..  Texas is also one of the few states that has laws specifically designed to prevent international child abduction (again, in large part due to their proximity to the Mexican border.)

[NativeNewYorker]

As a writer I'm sure you understand catering to your audience.  I'm not sure what the typical demographic of readers of that publication is or what articles they typically run but this is an issue of particular importance to Texas due to their proximity to Mexico.  Texas courts have actually held that Mexico's legal system is inneffective..  Texas is also one of the few states that has laws specifically designed to prevent international child abduction (again, in large part due to their proximity to the Mexican border.)

Hi Carlos,

That's exactly why I pitched Texas Monthly. There are so many LBPs in Texas, many of whom have children who were abduction right over the border.  The magazine has a broad statewide circulation of over 2.5 million readers (some national publications don't have that kind of circulation), the majority are over the age of 35 and many of them travel internationally. Their articles run the gamut of newsworthy topics from politics, to sports, crime to the latest trends. The demographics seemed perfect. But when you have an editor who can't see the relevance of a topic, there's really not much one can do but move on.

[greg4sean]

Unfortunately Texas Monthly is just like the rest of the media. They do not care and they do not get it. It does not hurt to keep trying to get them to wake up and do a story. I have written several letters to the editor about International Child Abductions just here in Texas that I know of.