Broadcast News Page #5

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CUT TO:

ANOTHER ANGLE - ANOTHER WOMAN

in blackness, her VOICE DISGUISED.

WOMAN TWO:

(o.s.)

No. You'd be surprised at who a

working girl meets. I've been a

working girl for what? -- over a year

anyway and that must be a thousand

men and I don't think there's an age

or type that hasn't been in there.

INTERVIEWER'S VOICE

(voice over)

Policemen? -- Doctor? -- Lawyer...?

WOMAN TWO:

(o.s.)

Oh, sure. Television reporters.

A laugh from the audience. There is a:

CUT TO:

ANOTHER ANGLE - FULL FIGURE

A WOMAN in blackness.

WOMAN THREE:

(o.s.)

I'm seventeen now and I've been

working the streets for two years

and I guess to be honest -- I stopped

thinking of it as temporary.

The lights come up on the room. The two screens go black...

there is general APPLAUSE. Jane blinks nervously.

JANE:

Please don't applaud.

ON AUDIENCE:

Sitting in groups of three -- NEWS TEAM from around the country,

remarkably similar in comparison...a great looking woman, good

looking man (either young or attractively avuncular) and a Black

or Hispanic. They still APPLAUD -- not yet having grasped the

sincerity of Jane's plea which she presses with more urgency.

JANE:

Please. Don't!!

(she yells)

I gathered these pieces as an

example of what's WRONG with local

television news.

The applause stops.

JANE:

The excerpts from THREE SEPARATE

SERIES on prostitution were

SIMULTANEOUSLY broadcast by all

stations in one city during sweeps

week. By what bend of either or

suspension of duty is that broadcast

news?

She pauses half a beat for possible applause -- hearing none,

she continues. An anchorman sneezes -- four people shout

"gesundheit" simultaneously -- they laugh.

JANE:

The legacy of Edward R. Murrow,

Eric Sevareid, William Shirer,

David Brinkley and Walter Cronkite

is being squandered in a desperate

popularity contest. Our profession

is in danger:

TRACKING SHOT:

As Jane continues, REVEALING that the news team now have even

more in common. They do not like Jane.

JANE:

Yesterday's compliment has somehow

managed to become today's kiss of

death. To be considered a serious

journalist is no longer flattering.

It presents the risk of being labeled

ponderous, or worse yet, elitest,

right?

SHOT CONTINUES:

Women playing with their hair, young man bored...one

middle-aged anchorman fusses with a spot on his tie...

ON JANE:

Briefly departing from text.

JANE:

All of you know what I'm talking about.

We're all trying to act together than

we are. But we care. So, we're all

secretly terrified, aren't we?

Not a peep -- she is thrown but doggedly presses on with her

prepared speech though her throat constricts a bit, her voice

begins to rasp.

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