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Deadlines

By Jonathan Munson

Issue date: 11/2/07 Section: Features

Originally published: 11/1/07 at 4:01 PM CST
Last update: 11/5/07 at 8:57 AM CST

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Although deadlines are something everybody must deal with from time to time, whether it's paying a bill or turning in a research paper, deadlines in the journalism world carry a lot more weight.

"I think deadlines drive everything that we do on a daily basis. It's synonymous with money," Tricia Schwennesen, community news editor at San Antonio Express-News, said.

There are many jobs that have to be done to produce a newspaper, and all of the jobs involve deadlines. If one person fails to meet a deadline, it delays the work and puts extra pressure on everybody down the line.

And if you delay the press, customers may not get their newspapers.

"There's a very defined procedure for how we put out a product we start from scratch every day," Schwennesen said. "The news is unpredictable."

For Express-News reporter Vincent Davis, meeting deadlines is all about organization. Paying close attention to how much time he has before his deadline arrives, Davis plans by allotting time to the various tasks that must be done to get the story.

"It's the thing that keeps us honest," he said. "It keeps you on your game."

Walking to her car from the newsroom just past 7 p.m. on Halloween, Schwennesen said. "Deadlines get complicated on a night like tonight."

For Schwennesen, having to work late is not typically the norm; but since things happen late on Halloween, deadlines are pushed back.

Editors face deadlines as well. After receiving copy from reporters, they must have everything ready to be sent to the copy desk by 8 p.m. for the state edition of the newspaper, and 10:30 p.m. for the metro edition, Schwennesen said.

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