His name is Axel Westropp. Nice suit, cheap tie, scuffed loafers.
“I hope you realize it’s nothing personal,” Axel says.
“Of course. Business is business. No offense taken.”
Axel leans in, as if sharing a secret, even though we are alone in the coolly lit conference room at Cable99, the local access channel whose offices are located on Shaker Square. “It’s the fucking politicians that screwed it up for everyone. But what’s new, eh?”
Axel is certainly referring to the fact that political types have a nasty habit of ordering air time, using it, losing the election, then refusing to pay. Nothing of the sort is going to happen here, I assure him. Especially at these prices.
“Cash okay?” I ask.
“Cash is fine,” Axel answers.
“And you say the remote hookup won’t present any problems?”
“None at all,” he replies. “Of course, you realize that the streaming video quality won’t be the greatest. We did a live streaming video with Pere Ubu recently and it was cybercast worldwide on the Net. Our only problem was that sometimes the video lagged slightly behind the audio. Other than that, everything went smoothly.”
“And I’ll be able to feed from two locations?”
“Absolutely. As long as the software is right on your end, whatever comes through will go right on the air.”
“Outstanding,” I say, rising to my feet. “Where do we take care of this nasty money business?”
“Money is never nasty around here,” Axel says with a huge grin.
Ten minutes later I pay for thirty minutes of airtime on Cable99, buying the eleven-thirty-to-midnight slot on New Year’s Eve, paying a substantial premium for the short notice. The audience won’t be that large, of course, but neither are the demands regarding standards and practices. I can safely assume that what I have planned would never be suitable for broadcast on the network affiliates.
Not until it becomes news, that is.