Urban Exploration
is an intriguing topic isn't it? The readers (or watchers) of your publication/TV
show are probably completely unaware that a hidden world exists behind the scenes
in a given city. You (perhaps looking for a little public interest) would like
to inform them about that world, and about the somewhat eccentric, but pretty
much harmless breed of Urban Explorers, who venture into it for fun.
The first thing
you should understand is that publicity is not our goal. Publicity is bad for
us. It calls attention to targets we've already explored (which we may subsequently
lose our access to) and may have the additional side effect of hardening places
we haven't visited yet.
Yes, for us, publicity
is not a good thing. When we do speak to the media, we have specific goals in
mind, and specific restrictions we place on the type and amount of participation
we engage in. If you can play it our way, by all means contact us but if not,
don't bother.
#1 Are you a
large media organization?
We tend to favour individuals who are connected with large media or organizations.
Why? Because on the occasions we decide to come forth and speak out, we want
to make a difference: dispel some misconceptions, maybe entice a few curious
souls to try our favorite pastime. This is not to say that we won't even consider
contributing to school newspapers or to journalism students, but be prepared
to make a very good case if you belong to those groups.
#2 No names,
no faces, no sharing.
The nature of our hobby makes secrecy a must. We ask that you respect our privacy
completely. No recognizable photos, no real names, and importantly, no sharing
of our contact information with other journalists. If your colleagues want a
shot too, let them start the same way you did... e-mail.
#3 No tours.
We will not take you exploring. This is not negociable. We will, however, gladly
point you in the right direction if you plan on doing a little UE yourself.
Of course, even
if you abide by all the guidelines... we still might say no. The odds are stacked
against you, so don't bet your career on us or anything ;)
For any media/public
relations inquiries, please email Tux
(English and French requests accepted).
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