Sometimes stories just don’t develop
On a basic day I spend a bulk of my morning going live with one story, then after the morning show is over I begin my work on my second story for the afternoon. From time to time I get shifted around and end up getting about four or five stories during my shift but the basic day consists of at least two.
Being a reporter I put out dozens of calls trying to develop that important second story but sometimes I just don’t have any luck. Today has been one of those days.
My morning story was about the royalty rate debate and I headed back to the station with not much on the go. When I got to the newsroom my editor Laura Knop had an interesting report for me by the Centre for Science in the Public Interest. It basically said that Alberta is number one when it comes to school nutrition policies.
So my first call was to the contact number on the media release. He didn’t have a chance for an interview until 3:30 p.m. Since we are all news all the time, I didn’t feel like waiting an extra three-and-a-half hours after my shift is supposed to finish just for an interview. I like working … but not that much.
Next it was the Calgary Health Region, then the Health Ministry … then the Ministry of Education, both school boards, SAIT, and even trying Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod from Body Break. (That wasn’t a joke, I did try and get them to call us but as of one o’clock no word from my childhood fitness heroes.)
All I got was voice mail after voice mail. It can be rather frustrating when nothing seems to be working in my favour. I’m sure many of you have had that feeling at work and can relate when I say “I wanted to give up.”
There was a glimmer of hope in the story when the Ministry of Health called back and said they had someone for me. But, of course, they couldn’t call until after my shift was over.
Sometimes the luck of the Irish doesn’t apply with me and I’m left with no second story for the day.