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Broadcast News Producing 1st Edition Bradley Schultz
Digital Instant Download
Author(s): Bradley Schultz
ISBN(s): 9781412906715, 1412906717
Edition: 1
File Details: PDF, 6.77 MB
Year: 2004
Language: english
FM-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 6:06 PM Page i
FM-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 6:06 PM Page ii

Although you may recognize the names of news anchors and reporters, news
producers remain mostly anonymous. The on-air people get most of the
glory, but you couldn’t have a newscast without the behind-the-scenes
work of the producers. To the thousands of producers across America who
grind out broadcast news on a daily basis, this book is dedicated.
Special mention goes to Mike McHugh and Matt Ellis, who had
what it took to become the very best producers in the business.
Ora et Labora: 1 Corinthians 1:31
FM-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 6:06 PM Page iii
FM-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 6:06 PM Page iv

Copyright © 2005 by Sage Publications, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any
information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

For information:

Sage Publications, Inc.

2455 Teller Road
Thousand Oaks, California 91320
E-mail: [email protected]

Sage Publications Ltd.

1 Oliver’s Yard
55 City Road
London EC1Y 1SP
United Kingdom

Sage Publications India Pvt. Ltd.

B-42, Panchsheel Enclave
Post Box 4109
New Delhi 110 017 India

Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Schultz, Brad, 1961­

Broadcast news producing / Brad Schultz.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-4129-0671-7 (cloth)
1. Television broadcasting of news. 2. Television—Production and direction.
3. Radio journalism. 4. Radio—Production and direction. I. Title.
PN4784.T4S35 2005
070.4′3—dc22
2004005705

04 05 06 07 08 09 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Acquiring Editor: Margaret H. Seawell

Editorial Assistant: Jill Meyers
Project Editor: Claudia A. Hoffman
Copy Editor: Catherine Chilton
Typesetter: C&M Digitals (P) Ltd.
Indexer: Will Ragsdale
Cover Designer: Janet Foulger
FM-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 6:06 PM Page v

Contents

Preface ix
Introduction xi

1. What Is a Producer? 1
Newsroom Structure 3
The Station Manager 3
The News Director 4
The Assignment Editor 5
Reporters and Photographers 7
The Production Department 8
The Engineering Department 9
Sports and Weather 10
The Traffic Department 12
The Sales Department 13
Studio Personnel 14
Other Station Departments 14
What Else Does a Producer Do? 15
The Producer’s Role in the Newsroom 16
Thinking More About It 21

2. Producing Today’s News 23

The Evolution of News Production 23
Network News 25
Emphasis on the Bottom Line 25
Emphasis on Anchors 27
FM-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 6:06 PM Page vi

Emphasis on Entertainment 28
Emphasis on Technology 29
Implications for Local Producers 31
Thinking More About It 34

3. The Producing Process 37

Story Ideas and News Value 37
Rundowns 39
Skeleton Rundowns 45
Blocks and Stacking 47
Finishing Strong 60
Scripting 62
In the Control Room 66
Thinking More About It 69

4. Writing 71
Overview 71
Communicating an Idea 71
Using Available Elements 73
Audience Understanding 73
Ten Suggestions for Better Broadcast Newswriting 74
Writing for Packages, V/Os, and VO/SOTs 83
Voiceover 83
Voiceover–Sound on Tape 84
Packages 85
Summary 85
Thinking More About It 86

5. Producing for Television 89

Alternative News Formats 90
Live 91
Roundtable 93
Town Hall Meeting 94
Debate 94
FM-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 6:06 PM Page vii

Election Night 95
The Call-in Show 96
Alternative News Strategies 98
Breaking News 99
Summary 101
Thinking More About It 101

6. Weather and Sports 103

Weather 103
The Producer’s Role 104
Severe Weather 106
Credibility 108
Good Relationships 111
Sports 111
Special Sports Programming 112
Sports Producers 114
Working With the Sports Department 119
Thinking More About It 121

7. Producing for Radio and the Internet 123

Radio 123
How People Use Radio News 124
News on Talk Radio and All-News Stations 125
News on Music Stations 130
Public Broadcasting 132
The Internet 134
Internet Producing Strategies 134
The Future of Internet News 142
Thinking More About It 143

8. Surviving the Newsroom 145

Theories X, Y, and Z 145
Theory X 146
Theory Y 146
Theory Z 147
FM-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 6:06 PM Page viii

Newsroom Relationships 148

Working With News Directors 148
Working With Anchors 152
Working With Reporters 154
Personal Relationships 154
Thinking More About It 158

9. Issues in Producing 161

Quality Versus Ratings 161
Live Reporting 164
News Cutbacks 168
Market Size 172
Ethics 175
Honesty 175
Visual Bias 176
Personal Biases 177
Creating the News 178
Consultants 180
Thinking More About It 183

10. The Job Market 185

The Numbers 185
Finding a Producing Job 187
What Stations Want 188
Where to Look for Jobs 190
The Job Search Process 192
The Cover Letter 192
The Resume 194
The Resume Tape 196
The Interview 197
Summary 198
Thinking More About It 199

References 201
Index 207
About the Author 217
FM-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 6:06 PM Page ix

Preface

D uring a recent university advising session, a freshman student told

me that she was in broadcast journalism because she wanted to
“travel, make good money, and be on TV.” Obviously, this is not what
broadcast journalism is about, and the student ultimately decided to trans­
fer to the business school. But this attitude is pervasive among college and
high school students, who constantly read about the million-dollar salaries
and celebrity status of today’s TV news anchors. Today’s journalism and
broadcasting schools are crammed with people who see broadcasting as a
path to personal fame and fortune.
Students need to know that there’s another side to the business, without
which these famous anchors and reporters wouldn’t even make it on the
air. Every newscast has to have a producer, someone responsible for
putting the show together and making sure it runs smoothly. This is the
unglamorous behind-the-scenes work of putting together a broadcast
news program. News producers aren’t well known, and they certainly don’t
enjoy the perks or salaries of on-air performers. They labor anonymously
at big and small stations all across the country, often working 12+ hours a
day, cranking out newscasts. Many times the stress level is off the charts,
leading to cases of premature burnout.
Why would anyone want such a job? Well, there are several benefits to
working as a news producer. Because so many people want to be on the air,
there are fewer people who want to be producers, so producers have tradi­
tionally been in high demand. That makes it easier for producers to get into
the business and then move up to higher paying jobs. The work is also
considered much more stable compared to on-air positions, which have
a lot of turnover. Producing is also considered a pathway into higher
management, such as news director or even station manager.
Once you get behind the glamour of a news anchoring position, the job
itself is not very interesting. Most anchors, especially those in larger mar­
kets, do nothing more all day than write a few stories and read them on the
air (in fact, anchors are known in England by the more appropriate name
of news readers). Producing is a constant challenge that involves a variety
of skills: news judgment, writing, resource management, deadline pres­
sure, delegation of authority, and so on. The good producer must bring all

ix
FM-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 6:06 PM Page x

x BROADCAST NEWS PRODUCING

of these skills to bear in every newscast, and sometimes just getting the
show on the air is a supreme accomplishment.
To some people, this challenge is irresistible. They view producing as
a thrill ride, a roller coaster without seatbelts. Every day they climb to the
top of the coaster and careen down the hill at breakneck speed. What
many would view as insurmountable obstacles, they see as simply bumps
in the road that must be overcome. Every twist and turn of the track is
different, and they often finish the ride exhilarated and out of breath.
There are others who get into the business for much more practical
reasons. As the realities of the broadcasting business become clearer, many
frustrated on-air performers eventually drift into producing. Some people
simply don’t have the ability to perform on the air but still want to work in
radio or television. Others see producing as the first step on a management
track that they hope leads to news director or, someday, station manager.
Whatever your interest in broadcast producing, I hope you will find
what you’re looking for in this book.
FM-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 6:06 PM Page xi

Introduction

W hy write a book on broadcast news producing? Actually, there are

several reasons. Primarily, the demand for talented, trained pro­
ducers in the broadcast industry continues to grow. New technology has
led to an explosion in the number of channel offerings and an increased
demand for programming. Many cable and satellite channels have filled
the void with news, some of it on a 24-hour-a-day basis. Think of all the
news you can access now from such sources as CNN, Fox News, CNBC,
MSNBC, and other sources, not to mention local news providers. All those
programs need producers to get the news on the air, and the result is that
news producers are in demand like never before.
Traditionally, news producers learned their craft the old-fashioned way:
by going to work at a station and getting some hands-on experience.
Unfortunately, many producers got thrown right into the fire with a min­
imum of training. News is a demanding business, and producers generally
don’t have the luxury of waiting until they feel comfortable to start pro­
ducing. News directors expect a producer to immediately jump in and put
together a solid newscast. Expectations are high, and the learning curve is
short.
This book is meant to help those producers by giving them the basics
they need to know. Certainly, newscasts vary in style from station to
station, but they really aren’t all that different. Most of them have the same
look and feel, which suggests that there are some basic producing strate­
gies common to the various news media. This text will introduce you to
some of those basic strategies and provide the groundwork for putting
together a good newscast in radio, television, or even on the Internet.
There is more to news than just the newscast and more to producing
than putting out the same old show every day. This book will introduce
you to producing special shows, such as debates, town meetings, and elec­
tion night coverage. It will also give you an idea of how components within
your show work, such as sports and weather, which will be helpful when
you have to produce a special extended show on these topics.
This book also aims to go beyond the mere “nuts and bolts” of produc­
ing and get you to think more about putting together a good newscast in
the theoretical sense. What is news? What makes a good newscast? What

xi
FM-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 6:06 PM Page xii

xii BROADCAST NEWS PRODUCING

should my relationship be with the news director? What are some of the
issues that news producers must deal with on a daily basis? My hope is that
this book will help you find the answers to these and other questions. It
also focuses on the most practical question students have: How do I find
a job? Compared to on-air people, producers often have an easier time
getting into the industry and then moving up to better markets. Matt Ellis
started as an on-air reporter for a small station in West Virginia. Frustrated
with what he perceived as his lack of ability to get better jobs, he switched
to producing. Ellis became head writer of ABC’s Good Morning America in
New York and is now news director at WBZ-TV in Boston.
Matt Ellis is one of several industry professionals who have contributed
practical advice and information to this book. Unlike Ellis, Mike McHugh
went into producing right out of college and worked his way up to assis­
tant news director at WBBM-TV in Chicago, where he was responsible for
the 10:00 p.m. newscast. He and other broadcast producers share their
thoughts about the practical and theoretical side of putting together a
good newscast.
Very few books on the market address these subjects. Most of the books
you see today on broadcast “production” focus on the technical end of
the business—audio and video setups, camera placement, and so on. That
is important information, but it’s hardly useful to the person who has
decided to make a career of producing broadcast news. Whether you are
already committed to becoming a broadcast producer or perhaps thinking
of making a career change, I believe this text will give you the information
you need to get your producing career going.
01-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 5:45 PM Page 1

What Is a Producer? 1
A sking what a producer is or does is a little like asking “how deep is
a hole?” Ask a hundred different people and you’ll probably get a
hundred different answers.
The short answer is that a producer does anything and everything to
get a newscast on the air. They are with the newscast from beginning to
end, not just the half hour or so that the newscast is on the air. Producers
are involved in the editorial meetings that lay out what the newscast
will eventually look like, and then they are there in the control room when
the show actually goes on the air. Depending on the size of the station,
this process can be extremely short and simple. But usually, it is a lengthy
and exhaustive process that challenges every skill the producer has: plan­
ning, writing, editing, resource management, delegation of authority, and
decision making under deadline pressure, just to name a few.
First and foremost, producers must produce a newscast of a predeter­
mined length. For most television producers, this means a half-hour or
hour-long show; radio producers deal with much shorter programs. That
is the reality that faces every producer when he or she begins each work
day. A certain amount of news time must be filled for the show to go on
the air. The time constraints cannot be ignored, delayed, or forgotten.
Many producers liken them to a hungry beast that must be fed every so
often. Feeding the beast requires a variety of skills, including news judg­
ment and value, putting stories in the correct order, and making sure
the show gets on the air properly. Ultimately, producers are judged by the
quality of the on-air newscast.
But producing is far more than simply putting a show on the air, as
computer software can now easily arrange a newscast with a minimum of
effort. Obviously, much of the difficulty lies in the process. Producers
must oversee the various components of the production process, and

1
01-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 5:45 PM Page 2

2 BROADCAST NEWS PRODUCING

Figure 1.1 Producers Must Process Hundreds of Pieces of Information Each Day,
Usually Under Deadline Pressure
SOURCE: Photographs by Mary Lou Sheffer. Printed by permission.

these components have a tendency to break down or operate dysfunction-

ally. News vans will break down or live shots will fail. Photographers will
get lost on the way to a story, or reporters will change story assignments.
Breaking news will often force producers to rearrange a newscast at the
last minute. There could be problems with the production, engineering,
or traffic departments, all of which affect the newscast.
Technology has also made the role of the producer more complex.
Improving technology, from digital communication to satellite trans­
mission, means that producers must now deal with more information,
and in less time, than ever before. Oftentimes, critical decisions must be
made in seconds. In case of failure or the need to make a sudden change,
producers must know exactly where to go and what to do next. In this
sense, critical decision making under deadline pressure is one of the most
important attributes of the news producer.
Producers must also be amateur psychologists. The producer is respon­
sible for pulling together the people that contribute to the newscast
and getting them to work together as a team, which is not always easy.
Newsrooms are filled with jealousy, personal animosity, and strained
relationships. Reporters may balk at working with certain photographers
or vice versa. As silly as it sounds, producers will sometimes have to
referee serious arguments in the newsroom, if they’re not a part of the
argument themselves. Even when everyone tries to work together, people
can misunderstand their assignments, leading to confusion and delay. All
of this takes place under the watchful eye of the news director, to whom
the producer must report.
The producer is also expected to contribute to the content of the news­
cast. Reporters will cover most of the bigger stories, but producers usually
01-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 5:45 PM Page 3

What Is a Producer? 3

write many of the other stories in the newscast. Thus producers must be
good communicators, writers, and editors.
Finally, despite the need for producing on a daily basis, there is also
a long-range aspect of producing. As a member of the news management
team, the producer provides input to the news director about the direction
of the newscast. Does the look of the newscast need changing? What
components of the newscast need to be reevaluated for the future? More
frequently, producers must engage in long-range planning for special
event programs. Often, months of planning will go into the production
of news programs for election night, political debates, local roundtable
discussions, and so on. The producer plays a pivotal role in this plan­
ning, as he or she will be the one in control of the program on the day that
it airs.
By now, you should be thinking of the producer as someone who must
possess a variety of important skills. Much of this relates to the producer’s
position in the newsroom and his or her place within the station’s news
structure.

Newsroom Structure

Every news organization has some sort of hierarchical structure or

organization, most of which are very similar. The producer deals with
almost every one of these departments in the process of putting together
a newscast.

THE STATION MANAGER

At the top of the structure is the station owner, general manager (GM),
or station manager (SM). Many times, especially at smaller stations, these
roles will all be handled by one person. But because of increasing con­
solidation and corporate ownership in the industry, a station manager
or general manager will usually run the station on behalf of the station
owners.
Very seldom does a producer deal with a station manager. The manager
is more concerned with the day-to-day operation of the station, of which
news is only a small part. Some managers prefer a more hands-on approach
to news and want to get heavily involved in the news production process.
More often, however, they will delegate responsibility for the department to
a news director and stay out of daily news decisions. Managers do have ulti­
mate hiring and firing responsibility at the station, and that may be the
only time producers actually talk to them.
01-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 5:45 PM Page 4

4 BROADCAST NEWS PRODUCING

Owner, GM, SM

Sales Engineering GA News director Traffic Production

Weather EP, producer Director, master

Sports Assignment editor Studio personnel

Reporters Photographers Editors Writers Misc

Figure 1.2 Typical Television and Radio Newsroom Structure

Note: EP indicates executive producer; GA, general administration; GM, general manager; Misc, all
others under the assignment editor; SM, station manager.

THE NEWS DIRECTOR

The news director has direct authority over the newscast producers
and is responsible for the overall news product of the station. Unlike that
of a producer, this responsibility is not just the nuts and bolts process
of getting shows on the air. News directors are more concerned with large-
scale issues, such as overall news quality, audience feedback, and long-
range planning. This is not to say that news directors have no interest
in the day-to-day workings of the newscast, but having delegated most
of that responsibility to producers, they are free to focus on the news
department as a whole.
Producers work very closely with the news director in planning the
newscast. Most days, the news director, producer, and several reporters
will take part in an editorial meeting to discuss what stories merit cover­
age in the newscast and how to cover them. The editorial meeting usually
gives the producer a good idea of what the newscast will eventually look
like. By the end of the meeting, producers know what stories will be
covered, the importance of each story, and which reporters will be working
on them. The news director usually takes a strong hand in the editorial
meeting, outlining what he or she would like to see covered. Once these
decisions have been made, the news director usually turns over the show
to the producer.
The news director will talk with the producer several times a day to
check on the progress of the newscast. A producer might go to the news
01-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 5:45 PM Page 5

What Is a Producer? 5

director with any major problems or concerns but usually does not need
approval to make minor changes to the show. As with station managers,
different news directors have different management styles. Some are very
hands-on and want to get involved in the actual news production process.
Others prefer to delegate that responsibility to the producer. Unless there
are major problems or breaking news requires drastic changes, the news
director typically lets the producer put the show together.
Ideally, the news director should be available to give feedback to the
producer after the show. This can be done in person, when the news
director and producer sit down to discuss the newscast, or it can be done
in the form of a written critique distributed to the entire newsroom.
Either way, it is important for the producer to know the strong and weak
points of the newscast. Unfortunately, not many news directors take time
to do this because of time restrictions or other deadlines. Many times, the
only time the producer knows how the news director feels about the show
is when it goes badly. In those cases, feedback is often immediate and
forceful.
The relationship the producer has with the news director will have a
direct bearing on the quality of the newscast in general and the producer’s
future in particular. It is virtually impossible to produce a good newscast
if the news director and producer are not working together and do not
share the same news philosophy. It is also unlikely that both parties would
remain in such a situation, and usually the producer would want to find
another job. This is why it is essential for the producer to cultivate and
maintain a good working relationship with the news director. This does
not mean that the two have to be friends, but rather suggests such things
as good communication, trust, and respect.
For more on the relationship between the news director and producer,
see chapter 8.

THE ASSIGNMENT EDITOR

Aside from the news director, producers work most closely with assign­
ment editors. Assignment editors are responsible for the coordination of
news coverage, which primarily means assigning reporters and photogra­
phers to cover certain stories. They have to juggle the schedules of all the
people going out to cover news, making sure that reporters have enough
time to do their stories. Many times, assignment editors will have reporters
cover two or three shorter stories a day or will pull reporters off one story
and send them to another.
In addition, assignment editors are responsible for coming up with
story ideas. They take part in the daily editorial meetings, monitor other
local news media, and listen to police and fire scanners for breaking
01-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 5:45 PM Page 6

6 BROADCAST NEWS PRODUCING

Figure 1.3 Assignment Editors Must Stay in Constant Contact With News Personnel
SOURCE: Photograph by Mary Lou Sheffer. Printed by permission.

news. They also sort through the mounds of information that come
into a station every day, including news releases, meeting announce­
ments, and story ideas phoned in by the audience as news tips. It is a
job of constant communication and activity, especially during times of
breaking news.
The producer needs to stay in constant contact with the assignment
editor to see what, if any, changes need to be made to the newscast. The
assignment editor will be one of the first to know if coverage of a story
falls through or the story needs to be changed in format. For example,
if a reporter gets delayed coming back from a story, that story might need
to be moved to later in the newscast. Assignment editors can warn the
producer of potential problems in these areas.
Technically, because the producer is in charge of the newscast, he or she
has authority over the assignment editor. But it is a much better situation
if the two work together, instead of one trying to control the other.
Producers who become too authoritative with assignment editors (or
other newsroom personnel) find that those people are much less willing
01-Schultz.qxd 7/7/2004 5:45 PM Page 7

What Is a Producer? 7

to contribute to a quality newscast. The assignment editor position is one

of the most thankless jobs in the newsroom, but it is absolutely vital in
terms of helping the producer with the newscast.

REPORTERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS

Even though the assignment editor coordinates the activities of reporters

and photographers, it is really the producer who depends on them the most.
Producers must know how reporters are covering their stories. Constant
communication is essential, for if reporters deviate from their assigned
coverage, it is likely to mean that the producer will have to make changes
to the newscast.
After the editorial meeting, reporters and photographers get their story
assignments. This includes not only the type of story but the format. There
are different ways to cover stories, depending on their importance, the
resources available, and the deadline involved (see chapter 3). Generally,
more important stories are covered as live or packaged reports, and other
stories are limited to voiceovers or short interviews.
Producers expect that reporters and photographers will cover their
stories in this predetermined fashion, unless circumstances dictate
otherwise. There are many circumstances that could change the way
a story is covered, including equipment breakdown, the need to switch
reporters to another story, or lack of time to meet deadline. It is imper­
ative that reporters and photographers keep in constant communica­
tion with the producer so any changes can be made promptly. No
producer wants to make a major change to the newscast minutes before
show time.
At the same time, producers must have backup plans available in the
event that such changes must be made. If a reporter is assigned to cover a
story as a live shot and engineering loses the live signal right before the
story goes on the air, the producer must have alternatives. These are things
that a good producer considers ahead of time, well before the show ever
starts.
Most producers do not try to dictate the content of reporters’ stories.
They understand that reporters and photographers have specialized train­
ing in this area and are also much closer to story sources and information.
However, producers should feel free to suggest things that would help
improve the reporter’s presentation, such as different people to talk to,
possible locations for live reporting, and other places to get information.
Aside from this, producers want to know two main things from reporters:
the format and the length of their stories.
Most of the problems between producers and reporters come from
poor communication. Producers need to clearly define what they expect
from reporters on their stories, and reporters need to maintain constant
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Title: Perfect Answer

Author: Jr. L. J. Stecher

Illustrator: Dick Francis

Release date: March 17, 2016 [eBook #51482]

Most recently updated: October 23, 2024

Language: English

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PERFECT

ANSWER ***
 PERFECT ANSWER

By L. J. STECHER, JR.

Illustrated by DICK FRANCIS

[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from

Galaxy Science Fiction June 1958.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
 Getting there may be half the fun ... but it
is also all of a society's chance of survival!

"As one god to another—let's go home," Jack Bates said.

Bill Farnum raised a space-gloved hand in negligent acknowledgment
to a hastily kneeling native, and shook his head at Bates. "Let's try
Deneb—it's almost in line on the way back—and then we can call it
quits."
"But I want to get back and start making some profit out of this. The
Galaxy is full of Homo sapiens. We've hit the jackpot first trip out.
Let's hurry on home and cash in."
"We need more information. This is too much of a good thing—it
doesn't make sense. I know there isn't much chance of finding
anything out by stopping at one more solar system. But it won't
delay us more than a few weeks, and it won't hurt to try."
"Yeah," said Bates. "But what's in it for us? And what if we find an
inhabited planet? You know the chances are about two to one that
we will. That'll make thirteen we've found on this trip. Why risk bad
luck?"
"You're no more superstitious than I am," said Farnum. "You just
want to get back Earthside. I'll tell you what. We'll toss a coin for it."
Bates gestured futilely toward his coverall pocket, and then
remembered he was wearing a spacesuit as a precaution against
possible contamination from the natives.
"And we'll use one of my coins this time," said Farnum, noticing the
automatic motion. "I want to have a chance."
The coin dropped in Farnum's favor, and their two-man scout ship
hurled itself into space.

Farnum operated the compact computer, aligning the ship's velocity

vector precisely while the stars could still be seen. Bates controlled
the engines, metering their ravenous demand for power just this
side of destructive detonation, while the ship sucked energy from
space—from the adjacent universe on the other side of Limbo.
Finally the computer chimed, relays snicked, and the ship slid into
the emptiness of Limbo as the stars winked out.
With two trained men working as a team with the computer and the
elaborate engine room controls, and with a certain amount of luck,
the ship would drop back into normal space a couple of weeks later,
close beside their target.
"Well, that's that," said Farnum, relaxing and wiping the perspiration
off his forehead. "We're back once again in the nothingness of
nowhere. As I recall, it's your week for K.P. Where's the coffee?"
"Coming right up," said Bates. "But you won't like it. It's the last of
the 'God-food' the Korite priests made for us."
Farnum shuddered. "Pour it out and make some fresh. With a skillet,
you stink, but you're a thousand times better than Korites."
"Thanks," Bates said, getting busy. "It was the third place we
stopped that they were such good cooks, wasn't it?"
"Nope. Our third stop was the Porandians. They tried to kill us—
called us 'Devil spawn from the stars.' You're thinking of the fourth
stop; the Balanites."
Bates shrugged. "It's kind of hard to keep them all straight. Either
they fall on their knees and worship us, or they try to kill us without
even asking questions. Maybe it's lucky they're all so primitive."
"It may be lucky, but it doesn't add up. More than half the stars we
visit have planets that can support human life. And every one that
can does. Once there must have been an interstellar empire. So why
are all their civilizations so backward? They aren't primitive—they're
decadent. And why do they all have such strong feelings—one way
or the exact opposite—about people from the stars?"
"Isn't that why you want to try one more system?" asked Bates. "To
give us another chance to get some answers? Here's your coffee. Try
to drink it quietly. I'm going to get some shuteye."

The trip through the Limbo between adjacent universes passed

uneventfully, as always. The computer chimed again on schedule,
and a quick check by Farnum showed the blazing sun that suddenly
appeared was Deneb, as advertised. Seventeen planets could be
counted, and the fifth seemed to be Earth type. They approached it
with the easy skill of long practice and swung into orbit about it.
"This is what we've been looking for!" exclaimed Farnum, examining
the planet through a telescope. "They've got big cities and dams and
bridges—they're civilized. Let's put the ship down."
"Wait up," said Bates. "What if they've got starman-phobia?
Remember, they're people, just like us; and with people, civilization
and weapons go together."
"I think you've got it backwards. If they hate us, we can probably
get away before they bring up their big artillery. But what if they
love us? They might want to keep us beside them forever."
Bates nodded. "I'm glad you agree with me. Let's get out of here.
Nobody but us knows of the beautiful, profitable planets we've
found, all ready to become part of a Terran Empire. And if we don't
get back safe and sound, nobody will know. The information we've
got is worth a fortune to us, and I want to be alive to collect it."
"Sure. But we've got the job of trying to find out why all those
planets reverted to barbarism. This one hasn't; maybe the answer's
here. There's no use setting up an empire if it won't last."
"It'll last long enough to keep you and me on top of the heap."
"That's not good enough. I want my kids—when I have them—to
have their chances at the top of the heap too."
"Oh, all right. We'll flip a coin, then."
"We already did. You may be a sharp dealer, but you'd never welch
on a bet. We're going down."
Bates shrugged. "You win. Let's put her down beside that big city
over there—the biggest one, by the seashore."
As they approached the city, they noticed at its outskirts a large flat
plain, dotted with gantries. "Like a spaceport," suggested Bill.
"That's our target."
They landed neatly on the tarmac and then sat there quietly, waiting
to see what would happen.

A crowd began to form. The two men sat tensely at their controls,
but the throng clustering about the base of the ship showed no
hostility. They also showed no reverence but, rather, a carefree
interest and joyful welcome.
"Well," said Farnum at last, "looks like we might as well go outside
and ask them to take us to their leader."
"I'm with you as usual," said Bates, starting to climb into his
spacesuit. "Weapons?"
"I don't think so. We can't stop them if they get mad at us, and they
look friendly enough. We'll start off with the 'let's be pals' routine."
Bates nodded. "After we learn the language. I always hate this part
—it moves so slowly. You'd think there'd be some similarity among
the tongues on different planets, wouldn't you? But each one's
entirely different. I guess they've all been isolated too long."
The two men stepped out on the smooth plain, to be instantly
surrounded by a laughing, chattering crowd. Farnum stared around
in bewilderment at the variety of dress the crowd displayed. There
were men and women in togas, in tunics, in draped dresses and
kilts, in trousers and coats. Others considered a light cloak thrown
over the shoulders to be adequate. There was no uniformity of style
or custom.
"You pick me a boss-man out of this bunch," he muttered to Bates.
Finally a couple of young men, glowing with health and energy,
came bustling through the crowd with an oblong box which they set
down in front of the Earthmen. They pointed to the box and then
back at Farnum and Bates, laughing and talking as they did so.
"What do you suppose they want us to do?" Farnum asked.
One of the young men clapped his hands happily and reached down
to touch the box. "What do you suppose they want us to do?" asked
the box distinctly.
"Oh. A recording machine. Probably to help with language lessons.
Might as well help them out."

Farnum and Bates took turns talking at the box for half an hour.
Then the young man nodded, laughed, clapped his hands again, and
the two men carried it away. The crowd went with them, waving
merrily as they departed.
Bates shrugged his shoulders and went back into the ship, with
Farnum close behind.
A few hours after sunrise the following morning, the crowd returned,
as gay and carefree as before, led by the two young men who had
carried the box. Each of these two now had a small case, about the
size of a camera, slung by a strap across one brawny shoulder.
As the terrestrials climbed out to meet them, the two men raised
their hands and the crowd discontinued its chatter, falling silent
except for an occasional tinkle of surprised laughter.
"Welcome," said the first young man clearly. "It is a great pleasure
for us to have our spaceport in use again. It has been many
generations since any ships have landed on it."
Farnum noticed that the voice came from the box. "Thank you for
your very kind welcome," he said. "I hope that your traffic will soon
increase. May we congratulate you, by the way, on the efficiency of
your translators?"
"Thanks," laughed the young man. "But there was nothing to it. We
just asked the Oracle and he told us what we had to do to make
them."
"May we meet your—Oracle?"
"Oh, sure, if you want to. But later on. Now it's time for a party. Why
don't you take off those clumsy suits and come along?"
"We don't dare remove our spacesuits. They protect us from any
disease germs you may have, and you from any we may have. We
probably have no resistance to each others' ailments."
"The Oracle says we have nothing that will hurt you. And we're
going to spray you with this as soon as you get out of your suits.
Then you won't hurt any of us." He held up a small atomizer.
Farnum glanced at Bates, who shrugged and nodded. They uneasily
unfastened their spacesuits and stepped out of them, wearing only
their light one-piece coveralls, and got sprayed with a pleasant-
smelling mist.
The party was a great success. The food was varied and delicious.
The liquors were sparkling and stimulating, without unpleasant after-
effects. The women were uninhibited.
When a native got tired, he just dropped down onto the soft grass,
or onto an even softer couch, and went to sleep. The Earthmen
finally did the same.

They awoke the following morning within minutes of each other,

feeling comfortable and relaxed. Bates shook his head
experimentally. "No hangover," he muttered in surprise.
"No one ever feels bad after a party," said one of their guides, who
had slept nearby. "The Oracle told us what to do, when we asked
him."
"Quite a fellow, your Oracle," commented Bates. "Does he answer
you in riddles, like most Oracles?"
The guide was shocked. "The Oracle answers any questions
promptly and completely. He never talks in riddles."
"Can we go to see him now?" asked Farnum.
"Certainly. Come along. I'll take you to the Hall of the Oracle."
The Oracle appeared to live in a building of modest size, in the
center of a tremendous courtyard. The structure that surrounded the
courtyard, in contrast, was enormous and elaborate, dominating the
wildly architectured city. It was, however, empty.
"Scholars used to live in this building, they tell me," said one of their
guides, gesturing casually. "They used to come here to learn from
the Oracle. But there's no sense in learning a lot of stuff when the
Oracle has always got all the answers anyway. So now the building is
empty. The big palace was built back in the days when we used to
travel among the stars, as you do now."
"How long ago was that?" asked Farnum.
"Oh, I don't know. A few thousand years—a few hundred years—the
Oracle can tell you if you really want to know."
Bates raised an eyebrow. "And how do you know you'll always be
given the straight dope?"
The guide looked indignant. "The Oracle always tells the truth."
"Yes," Bates persisted, "but how do you know?"
"The Oracle told us so, of course. Now why don't you go in and find
out for yourselves? We'll wait out here. We don't have anything to
ask him."

Bates and Farnum went into the building and found themselves in a
small, pleasant room furnished with comfortable chairs and sofas.
"Good morning," said a well-modulated voice. "I have been
expecting you."
"You are the Oracle?" asked Farnum, looking around curiously.
"The name that the people of this planet have given me translates
most accurately as 'Oracle'," said the voice.
"But are you actually an Oracle?"
"My principal function, insofar as human beings—that is, Homo
sapiens—are concerned, is to give accurate answers to all questions
propounded me. Therefore, insofar as humans are concerned, I am
actually an Oracle."
"Then you have another function?"
"My principal function, insofar as the race that made me is
concerned, is to act as a weapon."
"Oh," said Bates. "Then you are a machine?"
"I am a machine," agreed the voice.
"The people who brought us here said that you always tell them the
truth. I suppose that applies when you are acting as an Oracle,
instead of as a weapon?"
"On the contrary," said the voice blandly. "I function as a weapon by
telling the truth."
"That doesn't make sense," protested Bates.
The machine paused for a moment before replying. "This will take a
little time, gentlemen," it said, "but I am sure that I can convince
you. Why don't you sit down and be comfortable? If you want
refreshments, just ask for them."
"Might as well," said Bates, sitting down in an easy chair. "How
about giving us some Korite God-food?"
"If you really want that bad a brew of coffee, I can make it for you,
of course," said the voice, "but I am sure you would prefer some of
better quality."
Farnum laughed. "Yes, please. Some good coffee, if you don't mind."

"Now," said the Oracle, after excellent coffee had been produced, "it
is necessary for me to go back into history a few hundred thousand
of your years. At that time, the people who made me entered this
galaxy on one of their periodic visits of routine exploration, and
contacted your ancestors. The race that constructed me populates
now, as it did then, the Greater Magellanic Cloud.
"Frankly, the Magellanic race was appalled at what they found. In
the time since their preceding visit, your race had risen from the
slime of your mother planet and was on its way toward stars. The
speed of your development was unprecedented in millions of years
of history. By their standards, your race was incredibly energetic,
incredibly fecund, incredibly intelligent, unbelievably warlike, and
almost completely depraved.
"Extrapolation revealed that within another fifty thousand of your
years, you would complete the population of this galaxy and would
be totally unstoppable.
"Something had to be done, fast. There were two obvious solutions
but both were unacceptable to my Makers. The first was to assume
direct control over your race and to maintain that rule indefinitely,
until such time as you changed your natures sufficiently to become
civilizable. The expenditure of energy would be enormous and the
results probably catastrophic to your race. No truly civilized people
could long contemplate such a solution.
"The second obvious answer was to attempt to extirpate you from
this universe as if you were a disease—as, in a sense, you are.
Because your depravity was not total or necessarily permanent, this
solution was also abhorrent to my Makers and was rejected.
"What was needed was a weapon that would keep operating without
direct control by my People, which would not result in any greater
destruction or harm to humans than was absolutely necessary; and
one which would cease entirely to operate against you if you
changed sufficiently to become civilizable—to become good
neighbors to my Makers.
"The final solution of the Magellanic race was to construct several
thousand spaceships, each containing an elaborate computer,
constructed so as to give accurate answers throughout your galaxy. I
am one of those ships. We have performed our function in a
satisfactory manner and will continue to do so as long as we are
needed."
"And that makes you a weapon?" asked Bates incredulously. "I don't
get it."
Farnum felt a shiver go through him. "I see it. The concept is
completely diabolical."
"It's not diabolical at all," answered the Oracle. "When you become
capable of civilization, we can do you no further harm at all. We will
cease to be a weapon at that time."
"You mean you'll stop telling the truth at that time?" asked Bates.
"We will continue to function in accordance with our design,"
answered the voice, "but it will no longer do you harm. Incidentally,
your phrase 'telling the truth' is almost meaningless. We answer all
questions in the manner most completely understandable to you,
within the framework of your language and your understanding, and
of the understanding and knowledge of our Makers. In the objective
sense, what we answer is not necessarily the Truth; it is merely the
truest form of the answer that we can state in a manner that you
can understand."
"And you'll answer any question at all?" asked Bates in some
excitement.
"With one or two exceptions. We will not, for example, tell you how
we may be destroyed."
Bates stood up and began pacing the floor. "Then whoever
possesses you can be the most powerful man in the Universe!"
"No. Only in this galaxy."
"That's good enough for me!"
"Jack," said Farnum urgently, "let's get out of here. I want to talk to
you."
"In a minute, in a minute," said Bates impatiently. "I've got one
more question." He turned to face the wall from which the
disembodied voice appeared to emanate. "Is it possible to arrange it
so that you would answer only one man's questions—mine, for
example?"
"I can tell you how to arrange it so that I will respond to only your
questions—for so long as you are alive."
"Come on," pleaded Farnum. "I've got to talk to you right now."
"Okay," said Bates, smiling. "Let's go."

When they were back in their ship, Farnum turned desperately to

Bates. "Can't you see what a deadly danger that machine is to us
all? We've got to warn Earth as fast as we can and get them to
quarantine this planet—and any other planets we find that have
Oracles."
"Oh, no, you don't," said Bates. "You aren't getting the chance to
have the Oracle all to yourself. With that machine, we can rule the
whole galaxy. We'll be the most powerful people who ever lived! It's
sure lucky for us that you won the toss of the coin and we stopped
here."
"But don't you see that the Oracle will destroy Earth?"
"Bushwah. You heard it say it can only destroy people who aren't
civilized. It said that it's a spaceship, so I'll bet we can get it to come
back to Earth with us, and tell us how we can be the only ones who
can use it."
"We've got to leave here right away—without asking it any more
questions."
Bates shook his head. "Quit clowning."
"I never meant anything more in my life. Once we start using that
machine—if we ask it even one question to gain advantage for
ourselves—Earth's civilization is doomed. Can't you see that's what
happened to those other planets we visited? Can't you see what is
happening to this planet we're on now?"
"No, I can't," answered Bates stubbornly. "The Oracle said there are
only a few thousand like him. You could travel through space for
hundreds of years and never be lucky enough to find one. There
can't be an Oracle on every planet we visited."
"There wouldn't have to be," said Farnum. "There must be hundreds
of possible patterns—all of them destructive in the presence of greed
and laziness and lust for power. For example, a planet—maybe this
one—gets space travel. It sets up colonies on several worlds. It's
expanding and dynamic. Then it finds an Oracle and takes it back to
its own world. With all questions answered for it, the civilization
stops being dynamic and starts to stagnate. It stops visiting its
colonies and they drift toward barbarism.
"Later," Farnum went on urgently, "somebody else reaches the stars,
finds the planet with the Oracle—and takes the thing back home.
Can you imagine what will happen to these people on this world if
they lose their Oracle? Their own learning and traditions and way of
life have been destroyed—just take a look at their anarchic clothing
and architecture. The Oracle is the only thing that keeps them going
—downhill—and makes sure they don't start back again."
"It won't happen that way to us," Bates argued. "We won't let the
Oracle get into general use, so Earth won't ever learn to depend on
it. I'm going to find out from it how to make it work for the two of
us alone. You can come along and share the gravy or not, as you
choose. I don't care. But you aren't going to stop me."
Bates turned and strode out of the ship.

Farnum pounded his fist into his palm in despair, and then ran to a
locker. Taking out a high-power express rifle, he loaded it carefully
and stepped out through the airlock. Bates showed clearly in his
telescopic sights, still walking toward the Hall of the Oracle. Farnum
fired at the legs, but he wasn't that good a shot; the bullet went
through the back.

Farnum jittered between bringing Bates back and taking off as fast
as the ship could go. The body still lay there, motionless; there was
nothing he could do for the Oracle's first Earth victim—the first and
the last, he swore grimly. He had to speed home and make them
understand the danger before they found another planet with an
Oracle, so that they could keep clear of its deadly temptations. The
Magellanic race could be outwitted yet, in spite of their lethal
cleverness.
Then he felt a sudden icy chill along his spine. Alone, he could never
operate the spaceship—and Bates was dead. He was trapped on the
planet.
For hours, he tried to think of some way of warning Earth. It was
imperative that he get back. There had to be a way.
He realized finally that there was only one solution to his problem.
He sighed shudderingly and walked slowly from the spaceship
toward the Hall of the Oracle, past Bates' body.
"One question, though," he muttered to himself. "Only one."
*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PERFECT ANSWER
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