What is Martial News?
Martial News is a NEWSPAPER dedicated to providing a place where martial art clubs can have their news published, where students can see their achievements recognised and a place where charity events in the community can receive support.

Who owns and runs Martial News?
Martial News is owned and ran by DFM Self-protection Ltd a company that teaches conflict resolution training, first aid and health and safety. Part of DFM Self-protection is known as DFM Martial Arts which has clubs across the north and teaches street combat, kickboxing and mixed martial arts.
DFM Martial Arts holds cage fight nights.

Why was Martial News set up?
Martial News was set up to help publicise The Great Northern Festival of Martial Arts, otherwise known as the Marfest.
The Marfest - organised and ran by Sensei Peter Seth - raises money for Cancer Research UK and Martial News helps with the PR for this great event.
Because the mainstream media's routinely ignore martial arts we decided the easiest and best way to publish information on the Marfest was to do it ourselves.

What other charities does Martial News support?
We support Help For Heroes and our group holds Cage Fight Nights to help raise cash for this charity. But we support any club that raises cash for charity and WILL always give those clubs priority when it comes to publishing stories. We give ten per cent of profit to charity. The rest goes to developing the site further.

Why does Martial News do advertising discounts for martial arts groups in the North of England and Scotland?
We give huge discounts on adverts on Martial News to clubs in our core regions so the club's and associations can promote themselves to their core markets cheaply. We WANT all martial arts to grow and prosper because martial arts are our passion.

Then why not just give adverts away to the clubs?
Unfortunately we can't do that as running a site like this costs our organisation a considerable amount to run. We have to pay for all the telephone calls, electricity and hosting fees and we rely on advertising to help pay for that cost. These costs run in to hundreds of pounds every month.

Martial News encourages clubs to take stories written about them off the site to send to the mainstream media...why?
We want martial arts to prosper and grow and the way to do that is through publicity. But most people find it difficult to get stories published in the mainstream media. This because newsdesks are extremely busy and simply do not have time to chase up everyday stories on the arts (they will be glad to do so if the story is unusual or quirky - but every day stories on club's opening, gradings and charity events are not "worth their while" and often end up as little more than tiny fillers in newspapers).
However, because they are very busy they will accept well-written copy that is done in a journalist style. You send us your stories, we write them in a journalist style and then once it’s published you can take them off site free of charge and send them to your local newspaper.
Think of us as being YOUR PR wing.

Martial News has bloggers on site. Do they get paid?
No - nobody who contributes to Martial News gets paid. They are all volunteers who gladly give their time and expertise to make Martial News the great success that it is. In return they get to publicise their arts and their clubs to a huge audience - this also a reason why DFM runs this site...we also get to publish and gain publicity for our clubs and events as well. So, although we do NOT gain directly from Martial News we all gain something for our time whether its publicity for our arts, clubs, causes or through new students joining our groups.

Is Martial News only interested in the big clubs with hundreds of students?
No - we will publish any story on any club regardless of its size. We simply do not care if you club has three students or three thousand. As long as the club is a martial arts group we will write about it regardless of style, system or association.

Why does Martial News not publish stories about "troubles" in martial arts associations?
We are STRICTLY non-political and simply do NOT want to be involved in what are usually pretty squabbles between personalities...

Why isn't Martial News as "flashy" as the magazines?
We are NOT a magazine but a NEWSPAPER.  These are two different entities. Magazines are full of features and tend to only write about what they perceive as the "superstars" of the martial arts world. They are generally not interested in the real heroes of the martial arts community - the instructors and students who actually train week-in week-out for the love of the arts. That is why you keep seeing the same people over and over ad naseum in magazines. If its "hero worship" you want then we suggest you spend your money on a magazine...if you want to read about real people then join us. Mainstream newspapers such as the Mirror, Telegraph or Independent are not written or presented in the same way as Hello or GQ...they don't need to be because they are full of news and not features...  

Martial News often publishes stories on martial artists who commit crimes or abuse. Does that not show martial arts in a bad light?
We are a NEWSPAPER so, whether it is bad or good if that is the news then it will be published. Also - if we published stories on instructors abusing students then we are doing one of a NEWSPAPERS' core aims...shaming those that NEED shaming!
The simple answer is DO NOT ABUSE students otherwise you will find yourself plastered all over our pages!

If Martial News is a newspaper for the North of England and Scotland, why does it publish national and international stories?
Martial News is the same as any other mainstream regional newspaper we aim to provide stories that are of interest to our readers. All regional mainstream newspapers carry a mix of regional, national and international news.

Who reads Martial News?
Martial News is widely read by the martial artists of the North of England and Scotland. We have a huge number of subscribers that runs into thousands and thousands.
But it's not just martial artists in the UK who read Martial News. Our second biggest core readership is from the United States with India being our third biggest core readership. We have readers from just about every country in the world.
And its not just current martial artists who read Martial News - every month hundreds of potential students looking to join martial arts clubs use Martial News to find clubs in their areas.

Often the same clubs appear in Martial News on a regular basis? Why is that?
That is because they know the value of good publicity and are actively supporting what we do by helping us with their contributions. This is something we a really PLEASED with because without their fantastic support it would not be possible to produce the newspaper. We also chase these groups to contribute because we have grown a relationship with them over the past 18-months we have been running and we know that these clubs share the same values as we do...we all love the arts and support charitable events. These groups are Martial News' supporters and we really appreciate ALL the SUPPORT and ENCOURAGEMENT they give us.

Can anyone send stories or contribute to Martial News?
Yes - we welcome news from any club and will gladly accept contributions from anyone wanting to have stories published. Contributors do not have to be good at English or write in a journalist style. All they have to do is send us the information, a few pics and some quotes and we will knock it into shape and publish it.
You do not have to be from the North of England or Scotland to contribute stories. If you are outside our regional base we will publish the stories either in the national or international sections.

Why isn't Martial News sold in shops and newsagents?
Two reasons - first it costs tens-of-thousands to do a print run and distribute a hard copy version and we simply do not have that kind of money as we do this voluntarily.
Secondly - within the next decade you will NOT be able to buy mainstream newspapers in shops either because the entire industry is looking to switch to the internet and other electronic outlets. We are simply getting ahead of the herd by only publishing online.

Why does Martial News have two editions a month?
Although we try to get every story we can into the first edition it is impossible because of time or because the event or story has happened after we publish the first edition.
The second edition allows us to publish those stories in the same month as the others. It also helps boost our readership mid-month and carries the newspaper into the next month.

There is a directory of clubs and associations on Martial News. How much does it cost to join the directory?
It costs absolutely NOTHING. We will gladly add your club to the directory free-of-charge. All you have to do is send us a logo and contact details for your club and we will add it to the directory. All we ask in return is for you to add our website address as a link on your site using our logo which can be found at the top of the page.  Your website then acts like a newsagent for Martial News!

I like what Martial News does, its support for the clubs and its charitable aims. How can I support it and help it grow?
If you like what we do then you can help by sending us stories or buy an advert on site. All adverts are click-through which takes readers directly to your website. If your club or association comes from the North of England or Scotland the adverts then you are entitled to a third off the stated rate on our advertising page. If your event is for charity then we will charge only 50 per cent of the stated advertising rate.

 

MARTIAL NEWS


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Budo
www.martialnews.co.uk

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