McNeese student newspaper announces publication schedule

From Staff Reports
The Contraband

The Contraband has, after weeks of waiting and wondering, a publication schedule, according to Editor-in-Chief David Ryan Palmer.

The Contraband sat down with Palmer Wednesday before his American Literature class to talk about what's coming up, and when the first issue can be seen in newsstands and strewn about the Old Ranch.

The Contraband:  So, first of all, when is the first official issue of the Contraband scheduled to go out to readers?

David Ryan Palmer: I just got word that the bids are mostly finalized for printing, and we have a firm date of October 12 for the first official issue.

C: Tell us what people can expect in the first issue.

DRP: Well, it is a little early for that, but we do know that it's going to be a homecoming preview issue.  We're going for an 'every other week' publication schedule, but the first two issues will be back to back, to capitalize on the furor around Homecoming 2015.  I'm looking to get a list of events from the Student Union Board for the week, as well as line up some advertising so that local businesses can take advantage of so many people checking out the paper to see what's going to be happening.

There will be mentions of who is on the homecoming court, as well as where some of the best places to set up chairs or a BBQ for the parade.  It'll be especially useful to freshmen and transfer students, those who don't know how we do things for homecoming.

C: What about the next issue? You said that usually you'll be going every other week, but the first two will be back to back.

DRP: You're really quick on the gotcha questions, Mr. Contraband.  Yes, the following week will be pictures of events, stories about those events, and testimonials about what Homecoming means to individual students.

Unless a hurricane or tropical storm shows up.  Then it'll probably be about that. (Laughs)

C: Right... anyway, how is the bi-weekly schedule supposed to work?

DRP: Because we're going to have such a long time between issues, we won't be writing small articles about individual events.  That's what the blog, contrabandnews.blogspot.com is for, as well as our Twitter handle @msucontraband.  We hope to have longer pieces, more of a magazine style, that students and local community members can read and get a little insight into how things work at our small, commuter campus.

C:  Just to wrap things up, are you looking for writers or other staff members?

DRP: I am indeed.  Any major, any classification can write for us here at the paper.  You don't have to have news experience, though of course if you've taken a Mass Comm course you'd have a bit of a leg up on the competition.  I'm also a member of the local Society for Professional Journalism chapter, and any member can use the Contraband to print articles, in order to qualify for entry into the Excellence in Journalism Award.

If you want to write for us, email me at msucontraband@gmail.com, call 337-475-5646, or leave a note in the yellow folder on my door in the Old Ranch.

Yes, David did interview himself for this piece.  Yes, he did make himself late for class.  Email him at msucontraband@gmail.com or go on twitter @msucontraband.