The Gazette
April 15th, 2021
Starring: Robin (female, late 30’s/early 40), Clarence (male, 50’s)
The office of a local newspaper. Think for a town/area of a few hundred thousand. It’s lunchtime, and Clarence, Head Editor, is sitting at a small picnic table in the courtyard, reading an article typed neatly on printer paper. Robin sits across from him, holding a pen and pad, watching him read. She silently fiddles with her white “Visitor” lanyard. A few moments later, Clarence puts down the pages, looking up at Robin:
CLARENCE
It’s good.
Solid structure, no glaring errors.
A well written piece.
ROBIN
But…
CLARENCE
But
The tone
It’s too stiff.
ROBIN
Alright.
Robin makes a brief note on her pad.
ROBIN
I’ll remind you this is reporting the results of a tax trial.
It’s informational.
Not meant to be the most riveting prose—
CLARENCE
I know that. I know.
But there’s still got to be some humanity
Even a drop.
ROBIN
Hm.
...
I just wonder if
And please, correct me if I’m wrong here
If your issue is more with the writer, not the writing.
CLARENCE
They’re the same.
ROBIN
Well
I guess I mean because you know the writer, that might be changing the way you view the writing.
CLARENCE
Because a computer wrote it.
ROBIN
Right.
You might see this as non-human because you know it wasn’t written by one.
CLARENCE
Or it really sounds like a computer wrote it.
ROBIN
That might be true. As I said, we’re not there yet. Still plenty we need to smooth out on our end.
...
But if you’d indulge me.
If you could separate writing from writer and look at this. On merit, on the quality of words alone...would you run this? Would you send it to print?
…
A simple yes or no would work.
...
CLARENCE
Yes.
ROBIN
Great.
CLARENCE
With a few edits—
ROBIN
Naturally.
But that’s great. All I needed to know.
Robin jots a few more notes on her pad. Clarence watches.
CLARENCE
Do you blame me?
ROBIN
For what?
CLARENCE
My skepticism.
ROBIN
No sir. Not at all.
Big part of your job, isn’t it? Finding the truth?
CLARENCE
That’s the whole part.
ROBIN
Which is our goal with this. To help you find that.
CLARENCE
And considering you’re swapping journalists for machines, you could see why that’s hard for me to believe.
ROBIN
Of course. This is new territory for everyone. Even on our end. You’re our first venture into periodicals.
CLARENCE
How much staff are you shedding?
ROBIN
For now, none. Once the tech’s integrated, there will be some personnel shifts.
On the writing end, mostly. Which is terrible but…we’ve looked at the numbers. And at the moment, that’s how this publication rises from the red.
And grows, which we believe it will. In the long run, this hires far more than fires.
CLARENCE
Coders and analysts. Not writers.
ROBIN
But that’s the thing. This is all in service to the writer. The editor. It’s the entire reason we bought The Gazette.
We see a future in which journalists can be journalists. Not wasting your time on backpage, day in day out humdrum, but the big stories. The real truths, out there to uncover.
You did say that was your job, no?
…
Let our software do its work, so you can do yours.
CLARENCE
Like investigate why a big tech firm would buy a failing newspaper.
ROBIN
Please do. We’re happy to cooperate.
…
…
CLARENCE
I have a feeling.
Someday you’ll find a way to replace me too.
ROBIN
You Clarence? No.
It’s hard to replace what you have.
CLARENCE
And what do I have?
ROBIN
Perspective. A point of view.
Robin gathers her things, tucks the printed article under her arm, and walks back into the offices. Clarence flubs out his lips, looking to the sky. He gets up, gathers himself, and walks back inside.