Original subtitles

BBC interviews with FYI, day one. Mr. Fontana, how do you feel about

that American television news has become addicted to sensationalism in a

desperate scramble for ratings?

That's a very good question.

I know that I speak for the majority of my colleagues in saying that I find that

style of journalism to be totally repugnant.

How then do you justify your own use of what has come to be called the ambush

shot?

Excuse me?

The ambush shot?

In a piece last week, you burst into a union official's office. Even though he

locked himself in his bathroom without speaking to you, you kept that footage

your report. Why?

Well, I... Wasn't it because a man running from a camera looks guilty,

giving you something hot to pull in an audience?

No, no, no.

No, you see, the actual purpose of that footage, the reason I used it was...

Jim, what? Did you just say something?

No. Yes, yes, yes you did. You said something very attuned. I think you

repeat that. Go ahead.

Thank you, Frank.

Well, I suppose what Frank heard me muttering, softly, was that audiences

become accustomed to a faster pace and you have to grab their attention.

So what you're saying is Americans have a short attention span.

No, no, no, not at all. It's just that with cable, we have so many more choices

than you have in England. I believe you have about four channels.

Well, we have, what is it now, 6 ,000?

Well, this makes us superior.

Or you, inferior, for that matter.

always struggle between the obligation to inform and the desire to make a

profit. Wasn't it William Randolph Hearst, born 1863, died 1951, who once

Frederick Remington, you furnish the pictures, I'll furnish the war?

You should have studied.

Where's Burpee? You don't just drop a bombshell about making changes at work

then hang up the phone. I called her 16 times last night.

What kind of woman lets her machine pick up at four in the morning? It's about

time someone realized, this is the day the BBC is here.

Roger Kellogg, BBC.

You said something about a bombshell and changes.

Would you care to elaborate on that? That?

That was a total exaggeration. Now, I do that sometimes just for the effect. It

creates an air of excitement in the newsroom that increases productivity.

The Japanese are doing it. I think it started at Sony. Would anyone like some

coffee?

What the hell was that last message? My kid hears that machine. I'm holding you

responsible if his first words are, today's the day the BBC's here.

Hey, Roger Kenilworth, BBC, about these changes at work, you wanted to discuss

with Miles. Changes? Did you say changes?

Miles, have you been exaggerating again?

You know me.

Murphy, can I see you in your office? Of course.

Oh, we'll be out in a minute. Why don't you have some tea? You have seven kinds.

I think we'd rather stay with you, and I'm sure you remember you agreed to give

us total access.

Of course. We gave them total access.

Why shouldn't we? We have nothing to hide. Very well, let's proceed then.

And so we shall.

Now, uh, Murphy, about these things that are not really changes, but...

Adjustments. Minor adjustments.

Uh -huh, uh -huh, I see. And what form might these minor adjustments take?

I might come into the office a little later occasionally.

I might leave a tiny bit earlier once in a while. And I won't take assignments

out of the country quite so often. Maybe take a day off now and then. But that's

it. All done. Minor adjustments.

Minor? Tiny.

There's something wrong with the battery. Oh, bloody hell.

It's all right, Rog. We'll just wait until you're ready.

You're trying to kill me on camera, aren't you?

One more shot for my system and it'll be the first snuff film in the history of

the BBC.

Will you relax, Miles? I meant what I said. I just want to spend more time

my kid, not get invited to fill a Schlafly's for butt cake.

We're not done talking about this. Well, when are we going to be able to? The

BBC's got to be here for a week. I hate this.

You hate it? I'm the one who just insulted the entire population of Great

Britain. First my unfortunate girly hair comment about Ringo Starr in 1964, and

now this.

We stick microphones in people's faces every day searching for the truth. Now

they want the truth from us. What does it say about us as journalists if we're

not smart enough to hide it from them?

I'd like to get back to these adjustments if I could. And I'd love to

you about them, Roger.

But right now this reporter has to call Al Gore to get an analysis of the latest

Clinton opinion poll.

They say you can't dance, but watch this.

How should I know? I just got here.

Can I help you?

I'm going to have to call you back.

I think I just got busted on national TV for using an office phone for a

personal call.

Hi, Murphy. Peter Hunt.

I know.

I saw your report on Bosnia two nights ago.

Absolutely spectacular piece of reporting.

Roger Kenilworth, BBC.

I'm a big fan. Thanks a lot.

Look, I'm sorry about the phone. I had a meeting upstairs and didn't make some

calls without the suits hanging all over me, so I wandered down here, saw a

quiet place. We both work for the same network, don't we?

Peter,

I must ask you about that riveting footage at the Serbian checkpoint. How

you manage to stay so totally in control when that guard held his gun to your

head? That's an interesting story, Roger. And we'd love to hear it, but

now, Roger's going to be shooting some riveting footage of me calling Vice

President Gore.

Private number...

Very hard to come by.

But then, that's why I get the stories I do.

Hi, this is Murphy Brown for Vice President Gore.

I'd like to speak to the Vice President.

Is your daddy home?

Is there someone there who knows where he is?

I'll call back.

I think it's about time for one of our story meetings. Those are very exciting.

Do you mind if I use the phone again? I promise I'll be done by the time the big

hand's on the six.

You know, I can see why those Serbian border guards were so charmed by you.

Okay, people, let's get that story meeting started.

What story meeting?

What story meeting?

Every week it's the same joke.

Come on, we don't want to look unprofessional in front of our BBC

we?

On television.

After years of criticism, the networks have finally agreed to a warning label.

You okay if I stole a cup of coffee? Just waiting for a call back.

Uh, sure. Be our guest. Guys, you all know Peter Hunt. Yeah, nice job on that

Bosnia piece. Just topped up reporting. Same thing. When that Serbian guard held

his gun to your head, I... You know, Peter, you can't really hear my phone

out here, so you might want to just grab that coffee and scoot right back in

there. Very thoughtful. My pleasure.

Now, as I was saying, will these new warning labels do anything to stop the

epidemic of violence in our society?

No.

I'm sorry, but I feel pretty strongly about this. So do I.

Obviously, these warning labels are... Totally useless.

Excuse me?

All this bull about television violence creating violence.

I've been in places that rarely have electricity, let alone TV sets, and the

people are managing to kill each other very successfully anyway.

If I could just finish my thought.

The trouble with the labeling system is that it borders on censorship while

offering little more than a band -aid to the problem. What problem?

People are inherently violent, and they're going to be violent even if TV

nothing but reruns of the Waltons.

That's one point of view, but there's a sizable contingent that argues that

television exacerbates the violence. I don't believe it does. I don't care.

Just an example of the cross -pollination of ideas that occurs among

in our business.

The give and take, the ebb and flow, the cease and desist.

not ignore the body of research that says the amount of gratuitous violence

television is decent. Oh, wake up, Murphy. Violence is everywhere.

just reflecting it. That should be your angle. Well, thanks for your suggestion,

Peter, but since this really isn't your story... Maybe it should be.

Yeah, well, we'll talk about that when you're a member of FYI. Great, let's

start talking.

What?

Check with the network.

As of today, I'm part of the team.

What is going on around here? How could they bring in somebody new without

telling us? Did you hear him? He was giving me story notes. He was touching

stuff. I want him killed.

Why do we need a new guy on the show? I'm the guy on the show. Jim's the man.

I'm the guy.

We don't need two guys on the show unless one of them is on his way out.

man.

Hello? Murphy, what are you two doing together? My notes said to space

out.

Didn't you read my note? We tried, Murphy. Neither of us knows Sanskrit.

Look, it won't be long before that BBC crew gets suspicious, so can we just

stick to the point? Oh, Marky's right.

The stupidest thing I've ever heard of is dumping a total stranger into the

middle of a show that's been a success for 15 years.

You just don't do something like that.

Well, okay, maybe you add a female around the 11th year.

You can add youth and vitality and attract a southern audience.

That's it.

It's true.

You keep adding people to a show and you end up like 60 Minutes.

Takes them 20 minutes just to introduce everyone.

And you've proven 12 minutes of commercials and 5 minutes of Andy Rooney

about how much air there is in potato chip bags. They should really call the

show 23 Minutes.

I'd like to see how many Emmys they'd win with a title like that.

I'm just getting a bottle of whiteout, Roger. I'll catch up with you in a

minute. Go ahead.

The worst day of my life. Where'd you disappear to, Miles? Mitchell Baldwin's

office. to find out why the network hadn't told me we were getting a new

reporter. But the only way I could talk to him without the film crew was to ask

him to go to the bathroom with me. Oh, that's going to look just great on film.

Me trying to poke the six -foot -seven -inch black man into the men's room

without anyone noticing.

Well, this is just wonderful.

We're having conversations in closets, and you're doing scenes from The Crying

Game. Oh, yeah. The BBC isn't going to suspect a thing.

Oh, what did Baldwin say?

Peter's contract was up for renewal, and everybody in town was bidding on him.

They had to move back.

So fast they couldn't take two minutes to tell the executive producer. Miles,

could we stop talking about your petty insecurities? There is something much

bigger at stake here. Relax, Frank, you're not out. I'm not thrilled with

way this was handled either, but Hunt's a good reporter and he's strong on

international. And you just said you wanted to cut back on overseas

Murphy. Oh, no, you don't. Miles, don't you dare pin this on me. I had a hard

enough time making this decision.

Frank can pick up the slack. Mr. Hunt in a bunker. You know, I have torn T

-shirts in hot spots all over the world, but I change my clothes before I go on

the air because I'm a troll.

It is just so easy for all of you to complain.

Who's the one who has to carefully mix all the anchors together, blend and stir

their talents, make sure no one's ego boils over so we can all enjoy a nice

bowl of FYI soup?

That's right, Chef Miles.

Well, I am not going to tolerate an instant replay of the grief you put me

through when I brought Corky onto the show. Understood?

You put him through grief?

It was such a long time ago, who even remembers?

Listen here, Murphy.

I'm not the same hayseed who walked in here five years ago.

This dog can hunt.

So I want to know who said what, and I want to know now.

Oh, look, red pins.

Oh, that's good.

Can I get a menu over here?

Here you go.

Okay. And for FYI's newest correspondent, lunch is on the house.

Let's see.

The announcement hasn't been made. Nobody in town's supposed to know. I'm

guessing you're Phil.

401 for the new guy.

Wasn't that tough?

Wolf Blitzer told me he had a voice like snow chains on asphalt.

He's a fine one to talk. With a name like Blitzer, he should be flying over

house at Christmas with Rudolph's tail in his face.

You know...

I'm kind of surprised that you wound up here in Washington.

I always figured you were for a guy who liked to be in the middle of the action.

Last six months in Bosnia, before that Somalia, Baghdad in 91. Come on, you

could have gotten that from my travel agent. I expect a little more from a man

who's supposed to know Deep Throat's home number.

Okay. You were born in St. Louis in 53.

You were born in New Jersey, and I'll spare you the year. Your first

was City Beat in Buffalo.

You were stationed in France during World War II.

Three weeks ago, last Tuesday, you walked into a makeshift hospital in

with a wounded kid in your arms and started wondering if maybe it wasn't

get out.

You're good.

Just a moment of weakness, though, that's all.

I've always lived life on the edge, and I'm always going to.

Prove it to you.

Just give me a double order of your infamous chili.

Extra.

Son, you're even crazier than I heard.

Surely it must have been quite a shock to hear that FYI was undergoing such a

radical personnel change.

Actually, Roger, the network makes those kind of changes all the time. And I'm

going to explain to you exactly how that works right after I introduce you to

this man. Bill, this is Roger Kenilworth of the BBC.

No story on FYI would be complete without him.

How about one of your more colorful, longer stories, Phil? Yes.

So you're with the BBC.

Let me tell you a little story that involves Margaret Thatcher, the Joint

of Staff, and why we don't serve pretzels in here anymore.

Hello, colleagues.

Oh, Peter. Hi, Peter. How you doing? I hate that guy.

It doesn't take to say this, but Miles could be right.

Perhaps we're resisting Peter solely on the basis of our own egos.

I think it's time we invite him to join us and make him feel like part of the

group. Why, Peter? Say, Peter, we can't let the newest member of FYI eat lunch

by himself.

Come join us, will you?

Thanks, but I'm taking something back to the office.

You know, I've always found there's too much work to do to waste an hour

socializing, but if you can spare the time, bon appetit.

I need to make a phone call.

I'm getting gum.

I have to go to the restroom.

I'm out of condoms.

Have I shocked you? Well, then I've done my job.

Because it's the 90s, and it's time that we all woke up and took responsibility

for our own actions.

And to all you young people in England, abstain if you can, but if you can't, be

smart, be safe. Good luck.

I'm out of condoms? What in Sam Hill was that? Look, it wasn't my fault. You

guys took all the easy ones.

Wash your hands, buy life savers, check your weight, and get a free horoscope.

There, right off the top of my head.

Jim, if you and the love glover finished, our new teammate just

camera. You know, if you'd invited me to lunch my first day, I'd have been

thrilled. Well, I've tried noble.

I've tried dignified.

Now it's up to Murphy. What's your suggestion, plugger?

All right, then.

Once those nosy Brits are gone, I say we explain to that hot shot just how

things work around here. Just a few more days, and it's the opening of hunt

season. Agreed?

Agreed.

I thought you might like your menus in here.

And the soup of the day is clam chowder.

Yes, was here, Eldon?

Okay.

Sweet dreams, little camper.

Sleep tight.

And tomorrow, maybe you can play on the big white swing.

I see you finally got Al Gore on the phone.

Fifteen years I sat in that chair.

Fifteen successful years.

Now look at me.

Dangling over the edge like a flying whale.

What are you complaining about? Not even in the same time zone as the rest of

you. At least you're not wedged in the middle.

I can barely breathe here.

You know what happens to mice when you pack them in too tightly? They go

that's what.

It's over.

You know, I'm never going to be able to do anything for this show until you

people get past this thing of being threatened by me.

Now, see here. None of us at this desk are threatened by you. So I guess it was

Luca Brazzi who left the dead fish on the hood of my car.

We've been doing just fine for the past 15 years without you, bub.

Well, I'm not interested in doing just fine.

I'm interested in doing the best news program on television. And if you people

are willing to settle for less, then maybe we should all just follow Murphy's

example. All right, 30 seconds, people.

And what exactly might that be?

Obviously, having a baby slowed you down.

But at least you were smart enough to cut back on your schedule when you

realized you couldn't cut it anymore.

I'm spending time with my kid because I want to, not because I can't cut it

anymore. Hey, call it whatever you want. The point is, you got a little soft.

And while that is a lovely quality in a mommy, it's not worth squatting a

journalist.

I'm going to do you a big favor and forget I just heard that.

Look, I'm just telling you the truth.

But if you can't deal with it, maybe you should pull back a little bit farther.

In fact, maybe you should go home to your kid and leave the reporting to

of us who can deal with it.

Good evening and welcome to FYI.

For your information tonight, Frank Fontana explores the hidden world under

York City subway.

Dorothy Sherwood visits a Scottish wool factory. And our new correspondent,

Peter Hunt, reports on the continuing crisis in Baltimore.

First, Murphy Brown confronts the issue of television violence.

Head on.

And thank you, Peter, for that compelling...

if initially sporadic, report on Bosnia.

This has been another edition of FYI. Good night.

And we're clear.

Be sure to catch highlights of tonight's show later on ESPN.

Roger, Roger, Roger. I'm not giving you the tape, Miles.

You can't put that on the air. It's sensationalistic. I mean, showing that

pander to the worst in your audience.

The BBC doesn't do that kind of thing. Of course we do, Miles. We just do it

with an accent so it sounds classier.

You pink, deep -faced, scone -sucking hack.

Come on, Murphy.

Let's go to Phil's and get some ice for that hand.

In a minute.

I think Peter and I have something to talk about first.

Oh, well, then maybe we should just hang around in case something happens.

Relax, Frank. She's in no danger. Actually, I was worried about you.

Wait, guys. I'll catch up.

We'll save you a seat, slugger.

I almost forgot why I gave her that nickname.

So? So?

I'm waiting.

For what?

An apology.

I'm the one standing here with $600 worth of bridge work in my pocket. If

anybody should apologize, it's you.

All right.

I'm sorry I hit you in the jaw.

But I didn't have a clear shot at your stomach.

Okay.

That's better.

By the way, you have convinced me there is too much violence on television.

Thank you.

Although your story would have been better if you'd used some of my ideas.

you just don't learn, do you? Sure I do.

I'm standing farther away this time.

You know, you may be good, but there are four other reporters on this show who

are just as good or better.

And if you don't learn to bend a little, your dentist is going to be a very rich

man.

Am I supposed to be scared by that?

I've been through Beirut, Mogadishu, and the baggage claim area at Kennedy

Airport. I think I can survive this neighborhood.

I just got it.

How could I have been so stupid when it was staring me straight in the face?

Well, good night.

Oh, right.

And this is where I'm supposed to ask what's staring you right in the face?

Only since I don't care, I'm not going to ask. Good night.

Nice try, Petey.

You think you don't have to ask what's staring me in the face because I won't

able to resist telling you. But I can resist.

Easily. So long.

There could be a few things staring me right in the face about you too, you

know. You're bluffing. You asking?

Are you?

Okay, count to three.

One, two, three.

The Giants need a quarterback.

What'd you say?

This macho thing is just a cover. What did you say?

The Giants need a quarterback. I didn't think you had anything.

What do you mean this macho thing?

You know, the bravado, the war stories, the flak jacket with the subtle but

prominent bullet hole. It's a great image, even if the guy behind it is

to feel a little shaky. That is such a load of crap.

Yeah? Well, then why did you take a job where you're going to be spending more

time behind an anchor desk and less time in the field?

Sounds to me like you're the one who's pulling back around here because you

can't cut it. I took this job because I wanted to, not because I... Nicely

done.

Makes you want to deck someone, doesn't it?

All right, I had no business saying what I said to you.

I probably would have decked me, too.

Maybe you did strike a nerve.

Not because it's the truth, but because I know some people are wondering, am I

pulling back because I've lost my edge, because I'm not as hungry as I used to

be? Tell me about it.

Some people probably are thinking that I took this job because that last bullet

was a little too close or that last border guard a little too crazy, but...

ridiculous what some people lie awake worrying about till two in the morning.

Two, try four.

You want me to try four?

Oh, I wasn't talking about me. I wasn't talking about me either. I was talking

about Jake Pauly. I was talking about Stone Phillips.

Yeah.

Well, all right.

What did you put in there? Well, it's nothing that a gallon of ammonia won't

almost get rid of.

I really wish we had our talk earlier.