It had been a week or so since I received an angry email (Facebook comments, Twitter mentions, sure, but email was strangely silent), but on Sunday, a to-be-left-unnamed-but-thankfully-loyal reader came through for me with a gem about our listings.
Yes, the listings have gone through some changes in recent months—one week we ran out of space to run them at all, which was a regrettable mistake, for sure—but we are trying to figure out the balance of finding space to run listings for events and the pages we need for editorial content. However, last week, the email writer noted that we only had three listing items in the theater section (as she put it “seriously? in Tucson??”). So, yes, there were almost certainly more than three theater-related events happening last week, and a bit of a rundown on how our listings work these days is probably in order.
In the past, we had more staff time dedicated to entering listings. When listings were submitted through our website, we’d get an email with that information and we’d have to enter it into our system. Now, when you enter an event at TucsonWeekly.com, it goes into our system to be approved, then it runs online and (space permitting) in print. However, while we try to make sure notable events around town are in our database, we can’t get everything, so we need you to tell your favorite arts organizations, social groups, etc. to enter what they have going on into our database. It’s actually pretty easy and if it’s a regular happening, you can set that up as well.
Turns out, it’s not that I came “out of the closet as a Republican who doesn’t really care” about the interests of readers (sigh), but just that we need the organizations that are putting on great events each week to help us out by letting us know about them. Of course, if you need help, you can always send an email to listings@tucsonweekly.com or call the office (797-4384) during regular business hours. We’d love to share with Tucson what’s happening in your corner of the world.
This article appears in Aug 21-27, 2014.
It’s not just print media, or online. How about TV? Mentions all over with the “Great Food Truck Race” stop in Tucson, on Food Network this weekend. Tucson is quickly turning into a food truck town, with lots of vendors and some great food.
Now, this TV show didn’t include local foodies in their “race”, but wouldn’t it have been nice to know they were here, IN MAY? Or is it too much to ask locals (other than obvious “invitees”) to participate? Same thing last year, when the program “Chopped” recorded five weekly episodes out at Old Tucson. Granted, “Chopped” doesn’t include a studio audience, but it would have been nice to know they were here, while they were here. Added insult, NO mention of Old Tucson in their credits or anywhere else during that 5 week run. Only complaints about the wind, and the cold temperatures.
Maybe “Visit Tucson” can send a note to FN’s home office. You want a warmer welcome? Let Tucsonans know when you are here!