In a couple of weeks, one of the world's most unique publicity stunts will be staged in Niagara Falls. It will be the biggest PR event that city will
ever experience. It could be at least tens of millions of dollars worth of free publicity.
So you might think the province of Ontario and its agency The Niagara Parks Commission would be on the ball to fully capitalize on the event.
Sadly, you'd be wrong.
First, let's bring you up to speed. Niagara Falls Parks Commission
policy (direct link to PDF) includes:
• except for family vacation pictures,
some outdoor wedding photography and
only *breaking* news, absolutely NO PHOTOGRAPHY IS ALLOWED in any of its public parks without a $250 permit. There's no exception for the news media.
A permit request has to be submitted and paid (no refunds) several days in advance of the photography. Further payments to access each park may be required (minimum $100/hour, four hour minimum).
• if any news media want to do a feature story (i.e. not breaking news) in any Niagara Falls Parks, they need prior approval (and a $250 permit) from the Commission.
• permit holders must have at least $5 million worth of insurance.
• no flash pictures at night.
• the Parks Commission co-owns the copyright in your pictures/video.
• the Commission reserves the right to review your pictures/video.
• you must send a copy of every picture/video to the Commission.
• any rude hand gestures will cause your permit to be revoked
• no outside food allowed on any photo/video shoot. Otherwise you have to pay another $250 fee.
Okay so far?
If any news media would like to cover the big event in two weeks, the Commission has "classified" this event in a public park as a *commercial venture*. As such, the previously-mentioned policy terms apply.
News media attending must preregister with The Niagara Parks Commission, show their insurance coverage and pay $250 for a permit. Other fees may also apply.
The Commission said today that it needs the money from the media to help cover its costs surrounding the event including a media room and specially-designated media areas near the event.
Let's recap:
The public gets in free, shoot pictures and do anything they want with the pictures.
News media, which is the sole source of the top-level worldwide publicity that the city desperately needs, has to pay for access.
No other sports or entertainment event in the world(?) demands money from the news media to cover an event.
News coverage brings publicity. Every pro sports event in the world has learned this. Every tourist attraction (outside of Niagara Falls) has learned this. Every business and product manufacturer has learned this.
The Parks Commission's inability to see the big bucks because it concentrates only on the pennies is why the area is the way it is. The Commission and the city have yet to publicize the event beyond its own web site.
Oh wait, it's expecting the news media to do free promotion for them.
The purpose of any publicity stunt is that the person(s) involved is trying to yell, "Hey! Look over here!" But like a tree falling in a forest, if no one pays attention then did the stunt even matter?
The small-town, sideshow mentality of the Parks Commission and the city has been the *one and only* problem with Niagara Falls. This is the sole reason why the city has not developed into a world class (I hate that phrase) tourist area. Millions of dollars of annual revenues and countless number of jobs don't exist since the folks running the show can't get their act together.
Just like that big waterfall, millions of dollars and tons of jobs are just flowing downstream to someone else.
But wait there's more!
The City of Niagara Falls is begging for photographers to help with its upcoming War of 1812 celebrations by contributing to the city's photo calendar project [edit: the calendar page has been taken down]. To take part, each selected photographer must...
... (wait for it) ...
... (wait for it) ...
... (wait for it) ...
... must pay the city a $400 fee. In return, each photographer will get ten free calendars!
World class indeed.
(edit: removed a dead link to the calendar page)