NEW YORK, NY - Wednesday, 6:36 P.M.
Americans across the nation were going through their normal evening ritual of catching up on the day’s events by tuning into one of the four major networks.
“Good evening this is World News Network (WNN) and I am Deena Crawford.”
Ms. Deena Crawford, the WNN debutante and anchor, was sitting in her elevated chair behind the studio bureau wearing a Vuitton two-piece suit, Shellis diamond earrings and a pearl necklace. Behind the irresistible, blue-eyed brunette was the emblem of the company, a golden image of the world etched into white-plate glass, lighted from behind to showboat the letters of the logo: WNN.
Ms. Crawford was the face of WNN, one of the best, brightest and most convincing media darlings in the industry. Each night tens of millions of viewers hung on her every word, never questioning her motives, every time in lockstep with her take on the day’s events. Ms. Crawford was at the top of her game; just one thing had eluded her in her illustrious career, that most coveted of awards in the field of journalism: the Pulitzer Prize. It appeared Ms. Crawford was going to at long last win it, not for her charity work, not for her philanthropy, but for acting as a professional news anchor, one who used the influence of her program to bring down a sitting Republican senator in the most recent election.
The teleprompter fed the anchor her lines, messaging that had gone through an approval process that extended all the way up to the proprietor of World News Network, Chairperson and CEO Donald Abraham. The same scene was being played out before tens of millions of Americans on the separate networks where subtle, clever packaging of words and the use of pictures and videos always conveyed the subliminal messaging the owners wanted imparted upon their audiences: a message that promoted their skewed views of reality, a message that moved the political agenda of a handful of men forward, a plan that led the country down a path different from that envisioned by the Founding Fathers. Their viewing public would be treated to an around-the-clock barrage of that propaganda. There was no countervailing voice to stop them.
Deena had one of the largest viewing audiences in cable news. Her broadcast would make the biggest achievable splash for her boss each day during the 6:30 P.M. time slot. The anchor kicked off her program with television footage of that afternoon’s press conference with Democrat President, Nathan Martinez. Anyone tuning into any one of the major news channels would be treated to the same lead story being run simultaneously, all focused on the same single event. The only difference between what a viewer would see on one TV channel versus the others would be the angles in which the footage was shot.
President Martinez’s Rose Garden announcement appeared in one portion of every television set, the live feed of Deena in the other. The President was standing behind a raised podium emblazoned with a larger than normal version of the presidential seal clearly visible for all to see. Martinez was flanked on his right by Democrat Senate Majority Leader, Jim Rooney and Chief of Staff, Nelson Frank. On Martinez’s left by Democrat House Speaker, Patricia Bocchino and Secretary of Health and Human Services, Nancy Stoddard. Behind the President stood a dozen or more men and women dressed up as doctors, some wearing scrubs as if they just came out of an operating room, others in their white lab coats.
The female anchor kept on in an approving tone. “This afternoon President Nathan Martinez made an unscheduled appearance in the Rose Garden before a group of concerned American families to...to condemn recent efforts by Republicans, excuse me.” The anchor covered her mouth a moment and coughed then continued, “To defund the President’s signature.”
The anchor hesitated one more moment, taking a sip of water, then continued to try to get through her lines.
“Attempts by Republicans to defund (more coughing)...the President’s signature healthcare plan.”
The right-hand pane with the news anchor now became a small inset in the upper right portion of everyone’s TV, audio from the WNN news set was replaced by Martinez whose image filled most of the screen, as he launched into his monologue. The hubbub of cameras could be clearly made out snapping away as Martinez pontificated, adding to the theatrics of the choreographed occasion.
President Martinez could be heard saying in his deep, eloquent voice, “Most here understand what I’m trying to do for America and those that don’t are simply not working on the people’s behalf.” It was the usual coverage the brass pushed each night with the objective of helping Martinez move his programs forward. The press would conveniently fail to notice the fact that it was the President’s policies that caused the now downward spiraling economy, rising unemployment, and growing inflation. Those issues were unimportant, or minor, compared to the bigger picture.
As the President kept on reading from the two teleprompters, the camera crews panned from Martinez to the audience where they focused in on those with downcast, despondent peering faces. Mothers with children were singled out, as were women who could be seen with tears of joy in their eyes. The TV audience, however, was now scarcely paying any attention to the President, instead the viewing public’s eyes were being drawn increasingly upon the tragedy that had begun to play itself out in the inset...the WNN news set.
Deena Crawford no longer appeared like herself; the facade of cool, unruffled and collected had disappeared...she, instead, gazed out at the cameras in abject fear, a horrific expression etched on her features. The news anchor was half standing, half leaning forward on her hands and appeared to be shouting in the direction of the cameras between fits of gagging coughs. No sound of what Crawford was yelling could be heard, just Martinez droning on in the background. Inexplicably, the producer in charge of the studio had not gone to commercial and instead millions watched as the final seconds of Crawford’s life played out before their horrified eyes.
Just as suddenly, the shocking scene disappeared...replaced by static! Those just tuning in would think the static a temporary service problem; they would be wrong. The major news networks had gone dark...all of them.
FOUR YEARS EARLIER