Computers come to our newsroom

By K M Thomas (Southern Features)

In the mid-1980s when computers were first introduced in to our newspaper office, it was a big event. The excitement of it, and our reaction to the new technology, as presented in my facto-fictional novel is given below.

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Chapter 11: Computerisation   

The joint meeting of the reporters and the editorial staff is held on Mondays. The resident editor, news editor, chief reporter and a couple of senior staff from both the sides would use the occasion to exchange views, news, abuse and banter. The usual hour long meeting of sound and fury would end after coffee and biscuits, as if all is fine – for a repeat next week.

Unusually the mood was sober this time, when the reporters, led by chief Sundaram trooped in. There was a smartly dressed young man sitting next to the resident editor along with sub-editors and the news editor.

‘We are going hi-tech,’ the resident editor announced as soon as all had seated.

Watching the puzzled expression on the reporters, the resident editor explained. ‘All you guys will soon start working on computers, sitting in the air conditioned comfort.’

The baffled reporters looked at each other, while the resident editor beamed at them: ‘The necessary training will be given to you. It does not really need much training. Even I have learnt the basic tricks in two hours,’ he said pointing to a gadget on his side table.

Chief reporter Sundaram blurted out that he thought it was a portable TV with a key board attached to it. Resident editor joined the laughter, while reaching for his pipe.

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‘Well. I know about this contraption, as much as you do,’ resident editor continued fiddling with the unlit pipe. ‘Now our computer wizard here, Ravi Prasad, will explain to you the basics of this new technology. Over to Ravi.’

Resident editor pushed back his swivel chair and turned to face Ravi.

‘That was a good one,’ Ravi smiled, looking at Sundaram. ‘TV with a keyboard! Wonder why I did not think of presenting this gadget as you said. Thank you.

But this gadget here is much more than a TV. While there is artificial intelligence in this computer, the TV is just a box without intelligence. You can enjoy all the facilities of a TV, plus many more in these gadgets, depending on its software. We have loaded all software which would be of immense assistance to you in your work.’

Ravi knew from his experience in media houses that it would take a few minutes for the impact to sink in. So he pretended examining the gadget, while the audience exchanged curious glances. Only principal correspondent Menon appeared to be a bit tech-savvy, thanks to his research for the article on the `threshold of communication revolution’.

‘You may consider this word processor as an intelligent electric typewriter with a video screen,’ Ravi resumed. ‘The advantage is that it is programmed to guide and help you on the job; spelling mistakes will be highlighted on the screen. Similarly you don’t have to worry about margin, space, kerning, cutting, pasting, addition, deletion and many more. Arrangements are also afoot to load special software on grammar, synonyms, and thesaurus. It would be impossible to make mistakes.’

‘Don’t challenge our reporters. Can you load something into it to correct factual mistakes as well,’ news editor Srihari asked with a sly smile.

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‘May be in the future,’ Ravi said without any change of expression. ‘For example, if you load an encyclopaedia into it, and someone types information not compatible with the encyclopaedia, it would be instantly highlighted.  If the author refuses to heed the computer, there is no remedy,’ he laughed.

‘Our problem precisely. Artificial intelligence can’t replace natural stupidity,’ news editor jeered.

 Reporters ignored him, and continued to stare at the new gadget.

Ravi continued. ‘Now, you can type the reports the same way

As you do it with a typewriter. It would instantly appear in front of you on the video screen. Your reports will be automatically saved, so that if there is a power failure, you could recall the report.

Once the report is over, you can save it manually too, and send it to the person concerned for clearance. The senior can open your report on his computer screen, read it, correct it, chop it and then transmit it directly to the editorial.

A server will control all the networking, and all authorised persons can access the reports.’

‘So you don’t need the peon,’ Reporter Vadivelu sighed with relief. He was always faulted for sending the court news reports late. He believed nobody took his reports seriously. To save walking to the editorial room twice, the peon waited till some seniors tossed their reports into the out tray.

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‘Yes!’ Ravi agreed.

He knew that the new technology would also eliminate the Lino Machine Operators, Teleprinter Assistants, Proof Readers, Lay out Artists, Page Makers, and Stereo Flong Makers. But he was instructed not to mention it, as this could lead to trade union problems.

The reason why the newspaper managements were keen to computerise was that it could save a lot of money on labour and office space, apart from speeding up paper production.

Multi-centre editions would become easy.

‘This will hugely benefit the editorial personnel as well,’ Ravi continued, and picked up a copy of the India Mail. ‘The news editor tells me that the last news item, he could use two days ago was about the immolation bid. It was issued at 2210hrs. I found two hand written corrections on the original report.

The report was taken to the editorial by someone. The editorial staff had sent it to the Lino-operator and to the Teleprinter. The Lino Operator had cast it in metal and sent it to the proof reader, who found three spelling mistakes, sent it back to the Lino for correction, back to the proof reader;

proof okayed, peon takes it to the editorial, the sub-editor finds that he can’t accommodate four words in the space allotted within the page, he goes to the Lino-operator personally and gets a re-cast, and finally when the report was ready for the page- making, it took about 40 minutes.’

News editor nodded.

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‘It took only 40 minutes, because the sub-editor concerned was chasing it. In the normal course, it would have taken at least one hour.

Another vigorous nod from news editor.

‘Now, let me explain,’ Ravi took a deep breath, and pointed towards the front page news item, as if he was about to perform some magic.

‘If you had done it on a computer, the typing would have taken lesser time, the corrections could have been done on the screen itself, and the report would have been with the sub-editor, the moment the reporter had closed the report. Within seconds, the sub-editor would have edited it on the screen, fixed the size, and took out a bromide copy, so that it could be directly pasted on the lay out pad on the computer itself.

Another click, the edited copy would have gone to all other publishing centres in seconds. And you can imagine the amount of time, it would save. Any questions?’

There was an astounded silence. Senior reporter Anand was the first to recover and asked. ‘Sir, you said it would eliminate a lot of intermediaries. Is it possible that at a future date, software could be developed to eliminate reporters as well?’

‘I wish it would’ news editor remarked with unconcealed glee, even before Ravi could open his mouth.

‘It is possible. Right now, there is software to write short stories. Please don’t quote me on this point. I understand that if you give a situation, the computer will produce the story.’

‘Can you elaborate, please,’ Anand was genuinely interested.

‘Well. Let us assume you are feeding the following input into the software; a young man and woman. They fall in love. Both are professionals, earn good salary. They belong to different castes, but from the same village.

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Then you command the computer software to produce a story. The software will have about a dozen possibilities fed into it to develop and end such a love story. It could include they married and lived happily/unhappily, divorced, one/both committed suicide, both/one lost job, relatives killed one/both,  and a few more similar possibilities. Within seconds, the computer will produce different versions of the short story, so that you could choose the one that you like.’

As an afterthought, he added. ‘But the computer has no creative imagination.’

‘So your job is safe for now, Anand’ news editor assured him.

All grinned.

‘What happens if problems develop while typing, or someone tampers with my reports,’ reporter Ramkumar asked. He was the longest suffering victim of typewriter hiccups in the section.

‘Your pages will be password-protected, and our technicians will be around full time next six months. While training your technically qualified people, we will also assist you to sort out the teething problems,’ Ravi assured.

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‘Anyway, I’m thrilled,’ Transport correspondent Vijayaraghavan said. ‘We could also enjoy the

air-conditioned, dust free comfort along with the computers.’

‘Quiet!’ Anand sneered. ‘If the management learns it, they

would find some way to keep the computer alone in a cooler, with the key-board and your chair outside.’

The resident editor and news editor joined the laughter. As the reporters were getting restless, looking at the clock, the resident editor knew the meeting was getting delayed.  

‘Any more questions?’  he asked.

There was no response.

The  resident editor got up signalling that the meeting was over. ‘Those who want to share coffee with me can stay back,’ he called after the reporters, as most of them were already trotting towards the stairs.

Reporting Section Assistant Venkataraman was excited, and waiting at the door. As Menon walked in, he gestured towards a group of workers, busy fixing false roofs, cutting the windows to fix air conditioner boxes and automatic door closers. He exclaimed. ‘Sir, our hall is being air-conditioned. Sooo…. nice of the management!’

Menon nodded, smiled and walked into his cabin.

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