STATION MARKET HH RATINGS (+/- LAST WEEK)
RSN Los Angeles: 6.7 (-0.5)
RSN Indianapolis: 6.3 (+0.2)
RSN Anchorage: 0.9 (-0.2)
RSN Santa Fe: 0.8 (=)
RSN Bridgeport: 0.2 (=)
SETTING: RSN headquarters. TREVOR is at his cubicle, getting ready to join a call with RSN Los Angeles. KYLIE, the liaison to RSN Los Angeles, is standing over his shoulder.
KYLIE
Alright Trevor, remember: all you gotta do is listen every now and then. If they ask, tell them I’m double-booked, they won’t care for an explanation. You can probably just go on mute for most of the call.
TREVOR
Will do. Time for me to save my job.
KYLIE
Just don’t do anything crazy.
NICOLE INTERVIEW
Looks like Kylie and Trevor are teaming up. Kylie always puts on the facade that LA’s far and away the #1 station, but, deep down…I know she’s scared of Indy catching up. LA being #1 is basically her entire identity. If I catch up, she’ll be humiliated.
TREVOR takes a deep breath and joins the call with RSN Los Angeles. The station is under new management, now led by former Indianapolis Primitives benchwarmer bullpen pitcher ACE. On the call are two station Vice Presidents: FRANK and ELLIE. He soon realizes they had all been waiting for KYLIE to join the call.
FRANK
Who are you?
TREVOR
Trevor, I’m filling in. Kylie’s double-booked.
ELLIE
We really need Kylie on this call. This is important.
TREVOR
She’s double-booked though.
FRANK
When is she free today?
TREVOR
She’s not.
ELLIE
What’s so important that she’s missing a call with her station?
TREVOR pauses.
ELLIE
That’s what I thought. We’ll reschedule. We need a plan for how to come back from all the game postponements.
TREVOR
Wait a minute…where’s your guys’ manager?
ELLIE
Ace? We’re leaving that useless hack off this call.
TREVOR gets disconnected.
TREVOR INTERVIEW
How did it go? I have nothing to report back to Kylie other than that LA’s apparently in panic mode so…not great.
TREVOR approaches AUSTIN at his cubicle.
TREVOR
Hey, can I help you out with anything? Maybe join a call with Anchorage you don’t feel like dealing with?
AUSTIN doesn’t look up from his computer.
TREVOR
Austin? Everything good?
AUSTIN
You say something?
TREVOR
I asked if I could help you with anything. You know, since Benny finally realized I’ve got absolutely nothing to do.
AUSTIN
You got any ideas for how to stop a declining station from hitting rock bottom?
TREVOR
I thought you guys were doing well now!
AUSTIN
Not anymore.
AUSTIN INTERVIEW
Turns out increasing our fishing programming hours to 20 hours a day was too much for our viewers. I tried to tell them, I think.
TREVOR next begins to approach BLAKE, before remembering RSN Bridgeport is beyond his help. He then looks for SASHA, but finds she is away from her cubicle. He then approaches NICOLE.
NICOLE
You looking for something to do?
TREVOR nods his head.
NICOLE
Alright, you can help me overtake Kylie as our highest-rated station. Indy’s creeping up on LA!
TREVOR
Crap, I forgot about Kylie!
TREVOR leaves NICOLE’s cubicle and goes looking for KYLIE. He sees her about to enter BENNY’s office, and catches up to her right before she does.
KYLIE
There you are!
TREVOR
Listen, things are not going as smoothly in LA as you think they are.
KYLIE
Give me a break, things always go smoothly in LA. What’d they say on the call?
TREVOR
They wanted to reschedule it for when you can participate. They said it was too important for you to miss since they need a plan for bringing the ratings back up from all the game postponements.
KYLIE
All the what?
TREVOR
I’m just passing along what they said.
BENNY opens his office door.
BENNY
You two ready to start this meeting or not?
KYLIE and TREVOR walk into BENNY’s office, neither sure if BENNY realizes the meeting was supposed to be with just KYLIE.
BENNY
Alright, so how’s LA gonna stage their comeback?
KYLIE
About that…
TREVOR
Kylie and I spoke with the station and we believe they have it under control. We do suggest sending some additional funds their way so they can organize an event a philanthropic event.
BENNY shrugs.
BENNY
Alright. And uh…Trevor?
TREVOR
Yeah?
BENNY
Devin’s out getting new toner for the printer, can you see if you can unjam the vending machine real quick while he’s out?
TREVOR
Absolutely boss.
TREVOR waits for BENNY to hand him money for the vending machine, then leaves when he realizes BENNY does not intend on doing so. KYLIE also gets up to leave and returns to her cubicle.
BENNY INTERVIEW
Not everyone knows this, but I’m a very observant manager. I can tell when someone takes initiative and when someone’s slacking off. If Trevor didn’t step up, our top station could’ve been in trouble! And that means I could’ve been in trouble! Not good.
TREVOR
Does this mean you won’t fire me?
BENNY jumps up from his seat.
TREVOR
Sorry, didn’t want to interrupt.
BENNY
Didn’t see you return. But uh…no, I won’t fire you. You’ve proved yourself today.
TREVOR
Well actually I think I proved myself when I actually had an affiliate and got screwed over when it got shut down, but, thanks.
TREVOR walks away. BENNY waits several seconds before proceeding with anything.
BENNY INTERVIEW
Sheesh, is it me or did this job get harder?