5.30PM: The shock revelation in a weekend newspaper that a Hero Parade is on the cards for 2008 appears to have its genesis in a 'heads up' briefing to a journalist by a PR company working for vodka company 42Below. Jen Fergusson of Pead PR, which handles communications for Hero Festival supporter and possible parade sponsor 42Below, says she contacted gay Herald on Sunday journalist Jonathan Marshall several weeks ago in an effort to give him the inside running on an exclusive story. "I advised Jonathan confidentially that there could be an announcement coming up about a Hero Parade," says Fergusson. But she says she made it clear that there was no actual story at that stage. Fergusson says she was acting on a suggestion by a member of the Hero Brand Management Group that she should hint to the general media that a parade was under consideration and an announcement could be imminent. Fergusson says she was contacted yesterday by a person from the Herald on Sunday newsroom who read her "three opening sentences" of a story the paper planned to run today and, although surprised that a story would be published, she felt there was nothing in that story that compromised Hero. "However, the story he read me was very different to the one they ran in the paper today," Fergusson says. She says the news story she heard over the phone yesterday was much more speculative and confirmed very little. "We were clear right from the start that we were not yet in a position to make a public announcement," says Fergusson. The Herald On Sunday has not yet returned GayNZ.com's calls. Hero appears to have been somewhat back-footed by the premature public announcement, which comes before negotiations regarding possible sponsorship, organisation and a relationship with the Auckland City Council have been finalised. GayNZ.com understands that the Herald on Sunday was also advised by the Hero Brand Management Group that there was nothing yet to confirm and that the paper should contact the spokesperson for the Hero Trust for on the record clarification and confirmation. A source close to the Trust says no such contact was made. Ref: GayNZ.com (j)
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Sunday, 25th February 2007 - 12:00pm