Not many people at the Institute know what day of the week it is. When you work so hard for so long, the days start to melt together. Just so you know, today is Monday. Yesterday was Sunday. The day before that, Saturday. The two “S”-named days are also known as the “weekend” for anyone outside the Institute’s newsroom.
The weekend brought a challenge for student reporters. Offices were closed. Sources were at home with their families. But that doesn’t mean story deadlines were pushed back, nor does it mean we produced one-sided stories.
Matt Lewis, a University of Arizona senior, said trying to find sources on the weekend was painful. He made about 15 calls on Sunday trying to reach board directors, company representatives and office managers but managed to speak with only two people.
Sources who do answer on the weekends, or even call back, are much appreciated.
“I totally respect their time,” Lewis said. “But at the same time you need information.”
Some journalists prefer to avoid weekend calls or to wait for Monday to reach sources. Cindy Von Quednow, a California State University senior, advised making calls earlier in the week if possible and asking for contact information where sources might be reached later.
Regina García Cano, a Kent State University junior, said she didn’t even try to call sources this weekend because “I know they are asleep or with their families.” She would have called if she’d had a particular person in mind to interview, but she said she was just trying to reach an office to check a fact, a call that could wait until Monday.
Which is today, by the way.
Jamie Klein