Scratch our back and we will scratch yours: The Food Network comes courting free advertising for a Nashville casting call

A few days ago I received the same solicitation e-mail that other local bloggers did about a casting call from Food Network (owned by Scripps Networks Interactive). While Mr. Pink bit down at Nashville Scene's Bites blog and the East Nashville Blog rolled over for the media publicity hounds seeking free local advertising, I tried to turn the inducement (from a casting assistant @cbsnews.com) into a mutual service project by replying thusly to the corporate foodies and reality show recipe mongers:

Thanks for considering my blog. I generally don't advertise gratis, but I have a proposal for the Food Network. I will be happy to publicize a casting call for The Next Food Network Star if your company would match a donation I recently made to a flood relief organization here out of revenue my blog generated from Google Ads . I recently made a $150 donation to the North Nashville Flood Relief (http://www.northnashvillefloodrelief.com/), which organizes volunteers and donations for recovery of neighborhoods along the Cumberland River in North Nashville. As you probably know, Nashville suffered catastrophic 500-year floods in the early part of last May and many communities still need help.

So, how does this proposal sound? In exchange for a $150 donation from CBS or The Food Network to NNFRG, I will blog the invitation to your casting call, including all of the important information in the press release.

Not sure the proposal sounds very good to The Food Network, because they have not even acknowledged receipt of it. It seemed to me to be a square deal wherein the suits could have given a little back to my local community in exchange for some free local exposure. I guess the food-oriented entertainment industry figures it can swipe more smoochy on the house from other Nashville bloggers.