As a newspaper reporter, I deal with many different kinds of people on a daily basis. They range from the chatters who won’t shut up about a particular topic to the PR robots who practically read off of a pre-written script during an interview, making sure every word spoken makes their organization sound spectacular.  These people are bearable when compared to the worst types of interviewees: the ones who ignore you completely, block you out and won’t answer you at all.
Personally, I would prefer to hear “no comment” instead of nothing at all. The most frustrating thing is that on many occasions, the story the interviewee refuses to speak about isn’t even a controversial one. Some school administrators and officials won’t respond at all, even if the story is about new buildings or something positive happening at C of C.
I understand that people who work for the College are busy, especially the higher-ups on the totem pole. They may not have time to answer every question from a student reporter, but even a “no comment” would be appreciated.  With advancements in technology that allow anyone to contact me 24/7, I am offended when those I contact for a comment on a story will not extend the courtesy of a simple response.  Most cell phones have access to the Internet, which includes e-mail, so there is really no excuse. Even if one is uncomfortable with the topic at hand, a quick yes or no response is always better than leaving it up in the air.
Many times a story is pocket vetoed from the start because a reporter is unable to get any kind of response from someone involved. People must keep in mind that it is our job to cover events and news, and if we are assigned a story, we will always do our best to cover that story honestly.  If we receive no response from those we try to interview, the integrity of the story is compromised or the story is scrapped altogether.
It seems that reporters have some kind of scarlet letter stamped on them because some fear the kind of attention we can bring to them. Don’t assume the worst; we are trying to inform everyone on what is happening at C of C, but we need a chance to do so. Ignoring us won’t stop us; we will get the information one way or another. So even if you aren’t dying to comment on something, at the very least tell us that. Reporters tend to be aggressive people, so if leaving six voicemails is the key to getting information, we will do it. Don’t let it come to that. Just answer your phone or e-mail, and everyone will be happy.