Broadcast News

Blair ENTERS scene.  The smallest flicker of interest from Bill,
but more than enough to justify her going into hock for the
outfit.

BLAIR
Welcome back to Washington.

BILL
Thanks.

A self-conscious look of greeting to Paul and she's gone.

BILL
I've forgotten.  Was she on the list?

Paul nods "yes."

BILL
This is a brutal layoff...And all
because they couldn't program Wednesdays.

PAUL
(can't resist)
You can make it a little less brutal
by knocking a million dollars or so off
your salary.

AS Bill turns:

PAUL
Just a bad joke.  I'm sorry.  Awful.
It's a miserable day and that was
some kind of totally sick-joke
defense mechanism which does not
indicate any of my feelings -- not
one -- but just shows the kind of
stress this represents for all of us.

Tom and his Father ENTER the scene from Tom's office.  Bill
walks to Tom.

BILL
Hi.  It's about time.

TOM
Good to see you, Bill.

AS they shake:

INSERT

A great handshake.

ON MR. GRUNICK'S FACE

touched, as he watches the networks' most prominent journalist
greet his son.

TOM
This is my father.

BILL
Good to meet you, sir.

ON TOM

Equally touched as he watches the world's most prominent
journalist greet his Dad, who turns goofy with excitement.

MR. GRUNICK
Good-bye, Tom.

He puts a big hand on his son's cheek -- a farewell pat.  Then
whispers in his ear.

MR. GRUNICK
I'm going to go back home and tell
all your old teachers.

Tom watches his father walk off and moves immediately to Jane's
editing room.

INT. JANE'S EDITING ROOM - DAY

AS Tom enters...

JANE
I feel terrible about what happened.
What did he say?

TOM
He -- uh -- said he liked you because
you looked like you had -- fire and
honesty.

JANE
(enormously pleased)
No.  Did he really?

TOM
Yes.  Then he said a really weird
thing...

JANE
(so softly)
What?

TOM
(he means this)
That it would be a treat to make
someone like you feel better...
He gets like that sometimes.

JANE
That's so perfectly...It really
makes me feel a little faint...
(actually woozy)
Whooo.

Blair enters wildly into the scene.

BLAIR
They canned me.  Well, my brother
will feel great -- now he's not the
only screw-up.

JANE
It's started.

Bobbie sticks his head out of his office...

BOBBIE
Tom -- Paul wants to see you.

AS Tom focuses and moves off:

INT. NEWSROOM AND HALLWAYS - DAY

Moving with Tom.  Nervousness growing, confidence gone, he
proceeds down the hallway.

INT. ERNIE'S OUTER OFFICE - DAY

SECRETARY
He'll just be a minute.

Tom sits down -- pats his tie in place... A beat and the door
opens.  Paul leads out Martin Klein.  They shake hands.

MARTIN KLEIN
You know I'm just old enough to be
flattered by the term, 'early retirement.'

PAUL
That's wonderful...what a lovely line.
If there's anything I can do.

They shake.

MARTIN KLEIN
(evenly)
I certainly hope you die soon.

A little smile to Tom and he's off.

PAUL
Tom.

Tom enters the room.  A nervous cough in evidence as he
crosses to a seat.

PAUL
We're having a severe cutback, Tom --
17 people in this bureau including
technical personnel and we're going
to reorganize at the same time.
We're going to take you out of Washington
for a while and assign you to London.

INT. NEWSROOM - LATE AFTERNOON

Aaron and Ernie are off to the side in the newsroom -- People
are packing their belongings -- as secretaries cry and embrace --
from an office rumbles a shouted denunciation:

ANONYMOUS VOICE
No.  I won't keep my voice down.
Those sons-of-bitches...They are
worse than accountants -- they
are bad accountants.

Tom enters scene.

TOM
Have you guys seen Jane?

ERNIE
She's in there becoming the first
woman bureau chief we've had here.

Tom takes this in.

AARON
What did they do with you?

TOM
They booted me out of Washington.

AARON
Impossible.  There's no system that
wouldn't value one of us.

TOM
Why?  What did they do to you?

ERNIE
(pointing at Aaron)
It's what he did.  I'm proud of
him.

AARON
They told me they'd keep me because
they could plug me into any story
and my salary was in line.

ERNIE
The cost-efficient reporter.

AARON
So I quit.

A weeping woman bursts into their circle and sweeps Ernie away.
Tom and Aaron stand there -- comrades at last -- victims of
the same sword.

TOM
You packing up tonight?

AARON
Yes.  And I'm sorry that they're
sending you down for a while, but
you'll make it back...Where they
sending you?

TOM
London.

AARON
(incensed)
London.  That's a promotion!

TOM
(defensively)
I don't think so.

AARON
It is.  Yes -- that's where they
had Rorish, for God's sake, before
they made him anchor.  I can't stand
it -- they're grooming you for it
all and you don't even know it.

TOM
Hold it down, okay?

AARON
Can I ask you something?  You only
had one crew on the date rape piece,
right?

He extends his hand.

TOM
Yes.  You're not going to stick
around for the farewell party?

AARON
No.  I don't know how much fun it
will be when Martin Klein and Ernie
have to drop off their credentials
with the security guard.

Aaron looks at people packing their belongings in boxes -- a
few pockets of conversation... Ernie reading some copy.

AARON
This story they won't cover.  And if
the network doesn't cover it -- it
must not be important so why worry.

TOM
(eyeing him)
I'm going to miss you -- you're a
prick in a great way...

Aaron taken by surprise -- laughs.

TOM
You know what I...

AARON
No, I liked the way it made me sound.
Okay.  Be good.  So long.

He exits.

INT. TOM'S OFFICE - DAY

AS he picks up a clean wastebasket and deposits his belongings.
A scheduled book, clean shirt, two ties, cuff-links, a travel
mirror, cassettes of his Washington reporting.  His desk clear --
he writes on a clean piece of copy paper.  He centers it on his
desk.

INSERT - PAPER