I’m gatecrashing someone else’s launch today, writing from the cosy offices of Planet Hearts. It’s a new launch from my old mucker Shaun Milne; an unofficial, fan-powered newspaper for fans of Hearts, the Edinburgh football team doing rather well in the Scottish Premierleague at the moment.
Happily, and unlike some club newspapers that have gone before, it looks – and reads – the business. Full colour, heat set printing on decent paper, and with real wit; a million times more fun than the dull official programme, and much edgier than traditional football reporting.
Edgy is good fun, as I discovered yesterday at Tynecastle sat among Hearts fans while I watched them draw with my first footballing love, Rangers. Edgy sells well too, as I’d discovered helping Shaun and team sell a few copies in the street before the match. Despite the early kick-off, with fans scurrying up Gorgie Road to make the match on time, it sold out quite easily. And, sat opposite the promotions staffer this morning, it sounds like the newsagents are selling out too.
It’s a good start. With fans of Hibs (the big Edinburgh rival to Hearts) outraged at some of the chippier bits of piss-taking in its pages, some cunning ideas for the website, and a huge Scottish Cup semi final between Hearts and Hibs in two weeks’ time, things look like they’re going well.
Glad the launch went well. Still won’t get me interested in footie though ;-p
Nice one Shaun – it seems you’ve taken the words of Douglas Middleton to heart when he said the primary role of journalists is to sell newspapers. Good on you, and I think you are showing the entrepreneurial spirit that a few more of probably need to do to survive in future. Good luck!
It sounds great fun and I’m glad that things are going well; go for it Shaun and good luck.
Cheers guys. Always hoped to help shift van loads of papers, but didn’t expect to be selling them on the streets too! Issue 4 out tomorrow – cup semi special. “Read all about it, read aawwwwlllllabouooowwwtit!!”