The Love Machine Read Online Free PDF

Judith. After that, to Gregory, no other woman seemed to exist.
“What do you think of the numbers?” Gregory said suddenly.
Dan made a wry face.
“Notice anything particular?”
Dan took out the cigarette case. He tapped a cigarette.
Gregory reached over and took one, but ignored Dan’s offerof a light. “Been off them for a week,” he announced. “I just hold one in my mouth. It works. You should try it, Dan.”
Dan lit his own cigarette and exhaled slowly. He made another vow to the God who watched over network presidents. If he walked out of this room with his job intact, he would never smoke again.
Gregory leaned over. The strong hand with the red-gold hairs pointed to the news ratings.
“We’re in the cellar,” Dan said, as if making a sudden discovery.
“Notice something else?”
Dan’s ulcer stabbed him. His eyes kept riveting to the two variety shows that were in the bottom ten. Shows that he had recommended. But he forced himself to look at Gregory with a bland innocent stare.
Gregory Austin’s finger impatiently tapped the page. “Look at our local news. Not only does it hold its own, but some nights it even outrates CBS, ABC and NBC. Know why? A man named Robin Stone!”
“I’ve caught him many times, he’s excellent,” Dan lied. He had never seen the man or watched the eleven o’clock IBC news. Either he was loaded and fell asleep, or he turned to NBC and waited for the Tonight show.
“I’ve watched him every night for a month,” Gregory stated. “Mrs. Austin thinks he’s great. And it’s the women who determine what channel their husbands pick for news. The man may win in the choice of any other show, but when it comes to the news, it’s her choice. Because the news is the same on each network—it just depends on which newscaster you prefer to watch. That’s why I’ve taken Robin Stone off local news. I intend to put him on our seven o’clock network show with Jim Bolt.”
“Why keep Jim on at all?”
“He’s got a contract to play out. Besides, I don’t want Robin Stone stuck with just that spot. I have other plans for him. This man can be another Murrow, Cronkite, Huntley or Brinkley. We build him. And in turn he’ll build the seven o’clock spot. By the end of this summer, his face will be known nationally. He’ll beour anchor man at the conventions. We’ve got to build our news department. The only way to do it is with a personality. And Robin Stone is our man.”
“Could be,” Dan said slowly. He wondered what was coming next. This should be Morgan White’s territory.
As if reading his thoughts, Gregory said, “Morgan White has to go.” He said it quietly, without emotion.
Dan remained silent. This was a startling turn of events and he wondered why Gregory was confiding in him. Gregory kept everyone at a distance.
“Who would replace Morgan?”
Gregory stared at him. “What in hell have I been telling you? Do I have to lay it out? I don’t want Robin Stone just as a performing newscaster. I want him to head the department.”
“I think it’s a marvelous idea.” Dan was so relieved at his own stay of execution he could afford to be expansive.
“But I can’t fire Morgan, he has to quit.”
Dan nodded, still afraid to offer any comment.
“Morgan has no talent. But he has plenty of pride. It runs in the family. His mother and Mrs. Austin’s mother were sisters. Great family—no business sense—but great pride. But that’s what I’m counting on. When you leave here, I want you to send a memo to Morgan, announcing that you have hired Robin Stone as Head of Network News.”
“Head of Network News?”
“There’s no such job or title. I’m just creating it temporarily. Morgan will wonder what the hell it is, too. He’ll come to you. You’ll say that you created this job for Robin Stone in order to bolster the ratings. That Robin Stone will have a free hand in changing things in the news department—and will report directly to you. Get it?”
Dan nodded