Journalists work a five day week even if something important/promising happens?
No shifts, no working in teams, flexible working hours which could accommodate such things?
In my case it's the drive and the fact that I had other commitments today that would have potentially kept me from the event, rather than "working hours". While I can't speak for all news organisations, I would think that the concept of a 5-day work week doesn't really apply in any newsroom.
While attending the launch is nice, one doesn't actually have to be there to carry the story. Microsoft could have sent out a press release and let us ask questions by e-mail. This was more about availing the Microsoft SA boss for interviews, particularly for the radio and TV guys I would imagine.
Maybe it is a good thing. I really don't see why every newspaper and magazine has to have their own journalist at events. That looks to me like a colossal waste of resources, or maybe it is job creation.
Most news organisations don't have resources to waste anymore. It's about competition, and covering the angles relevant to your readers. Why does each mobile network operator have their own network team? Why do Samsung, LG, BenQ, and other electronics makers use different panels in their monitors rather than combining their research efforts?
You'll also hopefully see in my follow-up to the Microsoft story at 12:00 today that I tried to ask Microsoft the questions MyBroadband readers would have asked.