Ah. Perhaps mere luck, but this morning’s (in fact today’s only) assignment is at 9.30am in Bandar Puteri. An extra blessed hour of sleep. Last night, N the senior reporter whom I’ll be tagging along with called so I’ll meet her there. I asked how to recognize her and she said “I look like Mat Salleh.”
Yup, she does. She even sounds kwai loh. It’s of course pretty awkward as first meetings go – but then I have this preconception of her as the reporter with years of experience, condescending to put up with a moronic intern. So not la. She’s just back from an England with a Bio degree and only a month with Sun so JR-wise, I have more experience. For once, I breathe thanks for the Broadcast Journalism stuff I covered which are way more serious than the Sun stuff I do.
Big fucking waste of time SCB turned out to be. Other big media were there and they were equally let down. I hadn’t had breakfast and the finger food provided looked good but looked too good that eating it a bank would be a disservice.
Lion dance. Blah. Talked with Branch Manager Pacey – blah quotes. Notice they hardly give me a second look but upon introduction “I’m Stephanie from the Sun. And you are?”, they basically suck up. I have a love-hate relationship with PR people. That said, the political PR little shit deserved that end. Ex-jr konon.
Halfway through the PC where almost all answers are ‘we can’t disclose that’ and some JRs are tittering openly (we’re a shameful lot and can’t put up with BS), this guy from BH I think, turns to me and whispers, “Outside ade customer mengamuk. Tak boleh buka account.” Sure, N is there, but I wait till PC is over (no other JR leaves) before checking the banking hall.
Nothing. Until now, I don’t know if it was a routine trick they play on first-timers (which I don’t mind – I would have done worse) of the customer had left.
Back at the office, deputy editor F asks N, “Anything tangible- like figures? Or intangible stuff like goals and aims?” Since they’re mostly PR crap, N writes the intangible under M&M (Media & Marketing – the paper’s suck-up section and equivalent to Star Metro). F tells me to do a training copy so I do by 3pm, then browse news online till 5.45pm.
“Sir, I leave now?” A grunt which I take as a yes and cabut. F is the only editor who conforms to the image of grumpy boss in all JR-based movies. Somehow, I like him – I take it as a form of honesty.
A, the friendly senior who allows me to use her desk when she’s out, agrees with N that the JRs are still apprehensive when facing F. And I report directly to him. Hm.
Since we can’t access the Intranet or office mail yet, Spanks and I are done for the day, and have no idea what to do tomorrow.
Lucky Spanks takes a while to finish his training copy (he followed A) and checks the next day’s schedule. Sounds exciting, but I have to figure out the route and research.
Reading Telegraph, Guardian, Times and Independent online.
Love Charlie Brooker and Clarkson.
Listening to Treat Her Like A Lady by Joe.
