More than 26,000 people logged on to live coverage of the football transfer deadline day when Trinity Mirror’s regional websites teamed up to provide an across-UK service.

The sites for titles including the Liverpool Echo, Birmingham Mail, Coventry Telegraph, Evening Gazette in Teesside and Daily Post in North Wales carried the live blog, using CoverIt Live on Tuesday.

Details of all confirmed transfers were posted on the blog, with an emphasis placed on fans having an instant say on what was happening.

More than 9,000 comments were submitted by users during the day, including a variety of “just seen” rumours from fans wishfully thinking a big name was about to sign for their club.

David Higgerson, head of multimedia at Trinity Mirror Regionals, said: “Our titles, both in print and online, are known to fans as being the authoritative source of information on the football clubs they cover.

“Over the last year we’ve added audience interaction tools to our online sports coverage, and on certain occasions like this it makes sense to pull together our network of sites.

“In this case, we set out to provide a fast news service which had an emphasis on fan reaction, with the sort of fun which makes transfer day so interesting added in for good measure.”

Comments

Chris Youett, Esq, (07/09/2009 09:59:26)
Big deal! The real question is how many hard copy sales of their titles did this cost Trinity Mirror. Does Mrs Bailey really not know that each digital reader costs TM £10 per month in lost revenue, compared with hard copy readers? Does TM Head of Multi-media David Higgerson not know either that if people really want digital services they have always been prepared to pay a premium for it. If TM wants to reverse its cash flow shortfalls it should start charging £25 to £50 per month for digital services.

Adam (08/09/2009 10:07:27)
Mr Youett appears to be living in a different world to the rest of us. Media companies have to compete in a different marketplace now, and that marketplace curently includes rivals who offer the news for free. He says people “who really want something will pay for it.” But will they really want to pay for something if they can get something similar, if not as good, for free, elsewhere? Companies like Trinity Mirror, Newsquest et al could all start charging tomorrow but it wouldn’t work – people can go elsewhere. What he also doesn’t seem to understand that digital is a multi-million pounds business for these companies. It isn’t as big as print, and probably never will be, because the days of a monopoly on information are long gone. Much better to support these new businesses – coming up with ways to attract new audiences which advertisers can then speak to – and protect as many jobs as possible than to just shout “big deal” and spout figures probably invented on the side of a fag packet.

Grufallo (08/09/2009 10:36:37)
Mr Youett
Have you any examples where that approach has worked.
We are currently working in an industry on it’s knees.
I believe any pioneering an new initiatives online should be heralded not dragged back down by the dinosaur print brigade.
The newspaper can’t provide live transfer coverage – the website can.
People like you are the reason the industry is failing to move forward.
To criticise people who are trying to take the industry forward makes a mockery of your own involvement in an industry you clearly care deeply about.
Everyone can throw bricks from behind the crowd, but people on the frontline don’t deserve it in the neck from you.

Grufallo (08/09/2009 10:38:50)
And yes there were a couple of punctuation issues there in that post.
One does apologise. Back in the day I am sure that wouldn’t have been allowed. But then we didn’t have the evil internet did we?

Comrade Sally (08/09/2009 14:44:26)
“The real question.” As opposed to which pretend question, Chris Youett? For someone so active in the NUJ, it’s a shame to see you being so critical of your comrades’ work

Grufallo (08/09/2009 16:22:29)
A real shame Sally…