Gilded Hate Machine by Robert H Wilde

Author:Robert H Wilde [Wilde, Robert H]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-11-06T22:00:00+00:00

“Fuck off and make it good!”

Susan had just entered the newsroom, and as usual several very keen members of staff had got in first. Mind you, the editor was bellowing at one of them because only doing your contracted hours didn’t mean your work was enough. Although Susan knew there was very little in the way of objective quality and more just agendas.

“You okay,” she mouthed at the man scurrying away from the editor’s cave and to his part of the main room. He nodded and came over and sat near her desk. Susan hadn’t meant to initiate a conversation, but all the neighbouring journos turned, and a little circle chat began. Susan listened.

“Is it me or is he grumpier than ever?” one said.

“Grumpy? He’s like a nuclear missile whose parents didn’t love him.”

“Yeah, grumpy cat was grumpy, he’s stopping just short of actual assault.”

“Where is human resources when you need protection, by which I mean we need protection.”

Everyone nodded. Susan agreed. It did feel like ever since he’d announced he was standing for mayor the editor had gone from an angry, overbearing ogre to a true psychotic. She supposed that was what pressure did to people and even though he’d never say it publicly he was genuinely stressed. Mind you, he was staking a lot on this. It wasn’t like he had a reputation, but when you were the Morthern Star’s editor you did risk becoming known as that bitter old bastard who only says stuff because you lost the election. Well, as opposed to just that bitter old bastard.

“Anyone seen the latest opinion polls?” a staffer asked.

“Yes, Stremp is neck and neck with the current mayor and St. George.”

“Hang on, the last poll we published said the editor was ahead,” a poor, innocent staffer pointed out.

“You can’t believe that,” Susan explained, “we published it!”

“Oh. Right. Oh.”

“Exactly,” a colleague added, “Stremp will use any part of the Star to make him look better. I wouldn’t be surprised if the sports section covers his gold handicap and batting average.”

“You know, you have a good point.”

For a moment Susan felt bad they were sitting round talking like this because the editor showed her an unusual level of kindness, but then remembered she was no one’s bitch. Well, unless they paid her enough to afford her rent, then her well-developed journalistic morals would bend a bit.

“How are things going for you Susan?”

“Everyone is dodgy as fuck,” she replied. “But we all know that. The question is, what can we get in print, and in a manner our readership might respond to the way we want?”

Someone in the group laughed. “That’s a pretty long way of describing what we do.”

Susan grinned and shot back, “well it’s more accurate than saying truth.”

“She has a point.”

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