Arthur Hailey - Evening News

“I hear you, Theo,” Margot said. While listening and making notes, she had decided on a modus vivendi which would have three stages.

First, she would call Chippingham to insist that CBA News indicate clearly the Peruvian Government's innocence of involvement in the kidnappings, precisely as Theo urged. Second, she herself, as president of CBA, would contact the U.S. State Department, asking for immediate pressure on Peru to do everything possible—including use of their military and police to rescue the three Sloane family members. Third, the cooperation of Peru's government would be reported by CBA headquarters for general release. At the same time, CBA News would report positively the actual efforts made.

Almost certainly there would be difficulties and argument, but one thing Margot was sure of. Her relationship with Theo Elliott and loyalty to Globanic were paramount, overriding everything else.

* * *

Les Chippingham was growing used to Margot's unpredictabilities; therefore receiving another call from her so soon after their earlier conversation did not surprise him. The subject matter, though, made him uneasy because this was direct corporate meddling in news content, which happened occasionally at all networks but almost never with a major story. Fortunately, in this instance it was possible to be reassuring.

”All of us know the Peruvian Government was not involved in the kidnapping,” the news president said.”I'm sure that in our news tonight that will be implied and evident.”

"I want more than implication. I want a positive statement.”

Chippingham hesitated, knowing he should take a strong stand about news department independence, but aware of his precarious personal dependency on Margot.”I'll have to look at scripts,” he told her.”Let me call you back in fifteen minutes.”

"Don't make it any longer.”

Ten minutes later, Chippingham called.”I think this will please you. It's something Harry Partridge wrote before he left for Peru and is in our news for tonight: 'The government of Peru and Sendero Luminoso have been fierce enemies for many years, dedicated to each other's destruction. Peru's President Castanida has declared, "Sendero's existence imperils Peru. Those criminals are a knife thrust in my side.”' That last statement will be a library shot and sound bite by Castaneda.”

Chippingbam's voice reflected relief as well as humor.”I guess Harry read your mind, Margot. I hope it satisfies.”

"It will do. Read it again. I want to write it down.”

After the phone call ended, Margot summoned her secretary and dictated a memo to Theo Elliott.

Theo:

Resulting from our talk, the following will be in the National Evening News tonight:

" The government of Peru and Sendero Luminoso have been fierce enemies for many years, dedicated to each other's destruction. Peru's President Costaneda has declared, 'Sendero's existence imperils Peru. Those criminals are a knife thrust in my side.”

Castaneda will be seen and heard making the last statement. Thanks for your suggestion and help.

Margot Lloyd-Mason

The memo was to be hand-delivered by special messenger to Globanic Industries headquarters.

Margot's next call was to Washington—the Secretary of State.

* * *

Throughout Friday at CBA, until the National Evening News first feed at 6:30 P.m., security was strained while outsiders nibbled at its edges, attempting to gain access to the exclusive information about which CBA News had been titillating viewers and competitors all day. News staff at other TV networks, radio stations, news wire services and the print press telephoned friends and contacts at CBA, attempting—sometimes directly, but mostly by inventive ruses—to learn the gist of what was coming. But within CBA, by carefully limiting the number of people with knowledge, and temporary isolation ot an inner core of computers, the line was held and secrecy preserved.

Consequently, when the news broke it was immediately copied and repeated throughout the world, with CBA News acknowledged as the source. At other TV networks, testy inquests would soon be held, asking: How did we miss out on this? "at could we have done, but didn't? "y didn't you check this, or you follow through on that? Didn't anyone think of calling there? How do we guard against this happening again?

Meanwhile, TV networks hastily revised their second newscast feeds, using swiftly supplied videotape displaying "Courtesy CBA,” while newspapers reshaped the next day's front pages. At the same time, all major media alerted their regular Peru contacts while rushing to get their own reporters, correspondents and video and sound crews on airplanes to Peru.

Amid it all, a major new development occurred.

Don Kettering, now heading the CBA kidnap task force, heard about it shortly before 10 P.m., as the one-hour News Special was nearing its conclusion. Kettering was still at the anchor desk, where he had presided—apparently, so far as viewers were concerned—jointly with Harry Partridge, though the Partridge contribution was on tape.

Norman Jaeger conveyed the news through an anchor desk telephone during a commercial break. Jaeger was now senior producer since Rita Abrams had left for Teterboro Airport and her Peru flight an hour ago.

”Don, there's to be a task force session immediately after we've finished.”

"Has something happened, Norm? Something hot?”

"Hot as hell! I've just had word from Les. Over at Stonehenge they've received the kidnappers' demands along with a videotape of Jessica Sloane.”

They ran the videotape of Jessica first.

It was 10:30 P.m. on Friday. In a private viewing room at CBA News, used normally by senior executives, ten people were assembled: Les Chippingham and Crawford Sloane; from the task force, Don Kettering, Norm Jaeger, Karl Owens and Iris Everly; from CBA corporate headquarters at Stonehenge, Margot Lloyd-Mason, an executive vice president, Tom Nortandra, and Irwin Bracebridge, president of CBA Broadcast Group; and from the FBI, Special Agent Otis Havelock.

Chance had played a part in the group's assembly. Earlier in the evening, about 7:30 P.m., a small plain package was delivered by messenger to the main lobby of Stonehenge, addressed: President, CBA Network After a routine security check it was sent to Margot Lloyd-Mason's floor where it would normally have waited, unopened, until Monday morning. However, Nortandra, whose office suite adjoined Margot's, happened to be working late, as were his two secretaries. One of the secretaries received the package and opened it. Realizing its importance, she informed Nortandra who telephoned Margot at the Waldorf where she was attending a reception and dinner honoring the President of France.

Margot abandoned the reception and hurried to Stonehenge where she, Nortandra and Bracebridge, who had also been called in, screened the videotape and read an accompanying document. Immediately they realized that the News Division must be informed and arranged a meeting at CBA News headquarters.

A few minutes before the meeting, Bracebridge, a former news president himself, took Crawford Sloane aside.”I know this is hard on you, Crawf, and I have to warn you there are some sounds on the tape I didn't like hearing. So if you'd prefer to watch the video alone first, while the rest of us wait outside, we'll do that and understand.”

Crawford Sloane had driven in from Larchmont, along with FBI Agent Havelock who had been in the Sloane house when a call about the videotape of Jessica was received. Now Sloane shook his head.”Thanks, Irwin. I'll see it with the rest of you.”

It was Don Kettering, taking charge, who called to an operator behind the small audience, "Okay, let's go!”