Day 27

In the suburbs

The story about the missing boy has already slid down the rankings in the Channel Six newsroom.  Tonight it’s going out after the wounding of another Aussie digger by an IED in Afghanistan, the death of an asylum seeker on Christmas Island and a story about the record heatwave.

Tiffany reads the report after the first ad break.

“Police and volunteers are still searching for Peter Johnson, the twelve-year old boy who went missing four days ago now.  Bushland near the shopping centre where the boy was last seen was combed again today but police have provided no details about new leads.  A mobile incident unit has also been established at the shopping centre, with police available during shopping hours so that members of the public can come forward with information.  It’s also planned to re-enact Peter Johnson’s last known movements at the Queensgate City Shopping Centre on Saturday this week, if no further information comes to light by then.  Police are hopeful that the re-enactment, which will be pieced together from closed-circuit TV footage, will jog the memories of people who may have been at the centre the day the boy disappeared.”

Of course, the phrase, “police have provided no details about new leads,” means that  police media hasn’t put out any media releases about the case today.  Without media releases, there would be no news.  Or not much to speak of, anyway.  The daily news meeting at Channel Six begins with a review of media releases put out by all major private and public organisations, as well as the state and national newspapers.  International news services also get a look in, but not as a first priority.  International news gets reported on Six, but not usually before the first ad break unless it directly involves an Australian and then, often only if it involves someone from in state.  Unless it’s a matter of national importance, like the injury or loss of armed services personnel in an overseas conflict, as is the case tonight. 

‘Overseas conflict.’  More media-release wankery.  Whatever happened to calling it war?

And the reason why?  The news is heavily supported by local advertisers who market to an audience that’s mostly interested in what’s going on in it’s own backyard.  People want to know what’s happening in their city, in the suburbs.  They’re not going to get excited by overseas stories they can’t relate to.  That’s why no one watches the ABC news or SBS.  It’s not just the different time slots.

As she’s reading the news, flooded with thoughts related to her art but distracting her from the carefully constructed script on her auto cue, Tiffany’s got her left hand under the news desk.  She’s got her fingers up under the high-hemmed skirt she’s wearing and is pinching her left thigh repeatedly.  The pain is the only thing keeping her on track, keeping her in her seat.  The placement of her hand lowers her left shoulder, gives Tiffany a lopsided look on Bob Mullen’s monitor upstairs in the control room.  The picture’s all wrong.

“Tiffany, get your fucking hand back on the desk!  You look like a spastic.”

Tiffany ignores him.  She can’t stop.