Fourth Estate, The by Jeffrey Archer

Author:Jeffrey Archer [Archer, Jeffrey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
ISBN: 9780061091933
Publisher: Berkley Trade Pub
Published: 1997-05-26T07:00:00+00:00

"You'd begun to ask me about the Continent," prompted Keith. "Oh, yes," said Kate. "It's often reported that you were devastated when Alan Rutledge resigned as editor." "Yes, I was," admitted Keith. "He was a fine journalist, and had become a close friend. But the paper had fallen below 50,000 copies a day, and we were losing nearly E 100,000 a week. Now, under the new editor, we have re- turned to sales of 200,000 copies a day, and will be launching a Sunday Continent early in the new year." "But surely you accept that the paper can no longer be described as 'the Times of Australia'?" "Yes, and I regret that," said Keith, admitting the fact for the first time to anyone other than his mother. "Will the Sunday Continent follow the same pattern as the daily, or arc you going to produce the quality national newspaper Australia so desperately needs?" Keith was beginning to realize why Miss Tulloh had won her award, and why Bruce thought so highly of her. This time he chose his words more carefully. "I will endeavor to produce a paper that the majority of Australians Would like to see on their breakfast tables every Sunday morning. Does that answer your question, Kate?" "I fear it does, Mr. Townsend," she said with a smile. Keith returned the smile. It quickly disappeared when he heard her next question. "May I now turn to an incident in your life that has been widely covered by the gossip columns?" Keith reddened slightly as she waited for his response. His instinct was to end the interview there and then, but he just nodded. "is it true that on your wedding day you ordered your

368 JEFFREY ARCHER chauffeur to drive straight past the church only moments before the bride was due to arrive?" Keith was relieved when Heather marched into the room and said firmly, "Your conference call is due in a couple of minutes, Mr. Townsend." "My conference call?" he asked, brightening up. "Yes, sir," said Heather. "Sir" was a word she resorted to only when she was very cross. "London and Los Angeles," she said. She paused before adding, "and Tokyo." Very cross, thought Keith. But at least she had given him the chance to escape. Kate had even closed her shorthand pad. "Rearrange it for this afternoon," he said quietly. He wasn't sure which of the women looked more surprised. Heather left them without another word, and this time she closed the door behind her. Neither of them spoke again until Keith said, "Yes, it's true. But I'd be obliged if you didn't refer to it in your article." Kate put her pencil down on the table, as Keith turned and looked out of the window. "I'm sorry, Mr. Townsend," she said, "that was insensitive of me." " 'Just doing my job' is what reporters usually say," said Keith quietly. "Perhaps we Could move on to your somewhat unusual, if not to say bizarre, takeover of 2WW" Keith sat up in his chair and relaxed a little for the first time.

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