...and now for the news

[johnnie walker]

“… an assassination attempt … the assassin was killed … high intensity laser used … president resting …”

Fragments of that day’s newscast were still running through my enhanced cerebrum, picking up patterns in the words, comparing them with other news sources across the infosphere, trying to build a complete picture of what was known, trying to make sense of it all.

I put the news summary query onto background processing while I ran queries out into the infosphere, looking for the latest reaction to the news, the display draping over my vision like a ghost Earth, points of light popping up seemingly at random all over.

Soon the rate that new points of lights were appearing at started to slow, and I took my tally. I sent out a retrieve-and-record request to all of the sites currently showing in my query and assigned another part of my cerebrum to summarise those before setting it to background status as well. I knew that I could never get every result, there were just too many of them, with new reactions and news reports springing up faster than I could track. The best I could hope for was an up-to-the-minute snapshot. Oh the joys of the digital age. Everybody’s got a bloody opinion on everything.

I was due to make a live newscast for Channel beta9 in three minutes time to explain to the world (yeah right, as if the whole world watched this channel) the state of play. I didn’t feel up to it right then, but hell, it’s my job. If I don’t do it then someone else will fill my seat before it’s even gone cold.

I got the results of both my summaries and ran them through my analysis co-proc. I built up a report, adding in a few platitudes of my own to get the viewers really feeling the news and I was ready to go.

I went on the air, faithfully reading back the report I had prepared, letting my body go on autopilot, adding in serious facial expressions and the odd look of sympathy for the Earth President. The perfect newscaster.

I wasn’t really there. Not in the truest sense. I was in my own little world, secretly bashing away at my latest attempt at a novel, a story of when life was simpler, when news was news. It meant something to people, they gathered round to hear about it, they talked it over with others they met in their daily lives.

Not like today. I finished the news report and went back to my desk. Already I had received my next assignment. There was a protest about fuel prices on moon colony beta; I had a newscast in ten minutes.

“… citizens rioting … fuel price import duty recently raised … cost of living too high …”

None of it really mattered. In ten minutes’ time it would just be another light. Another stream of ones and zeros.

A footnote among footnotes.

[Potatojunkie]

It's an interesting idea. Not particularly original, but certainly workable. The problem is that it's just that—an idea. There's no actual story attached to it.

Something to develop, maybe?

[johnnie walker]

yeah i know what you mean. i think of it more as a comment wrapped in fiction. i know there isnt much actual story in it, i didnt see it that way when i wrote it.

its something i could perhaps expand / include in another story, i have a few bits and pieces littered around that i really should exapnd upon. im reasonably good at dreaming up new technology and set pieces, but storylines have always been my weak point.

[wavelindsay]

keep going. see what happens. Ask us again after 10000 words.