Who shall rule?

The throne of King Peter


Who shall take King Peter's throne?

With the death of Peter Jennings, there is a succession battle about to be waged for who takes his job. But the only way to understand this is to see it as a dynastic struggle. Because of the defining power of being a network anchor, getting the job is like winning a professional lottery. You are the king of your network, the President will want to meet you. It is unrivaled power, but like all things which are unrivaled, there are people desperate for the job.

But to understand the struggle for the throne, let us look at how the other Kingdoms and Duchy's of TV News.

Once upon a time, there were five kingdoms of news. They all had expensive appointments and untold luxuries for the knights, lords, dukes and princes who served the king. The king, who was all powerful, decided which knights and princes were in favor and who would be forced to move on, to find a new lord, becoming as the Japanese say, Ronin, lordless samurai, or what we call freelancers.

One of the saddest tales was of the knight Peter Arnett. Long a loyal vassal for the Empire of CNN, with one poorly chosen battle, despite decades of bravery, he was cast aside and left to fend in the winds.

Fox

The Kingdom of Fox is an illusive place, run by the Emperor Rupert, there are no kings, just Princes who do his bidding. Princes Sean and Bill, along with his loyal jester Alan. By diffusing power through Lord Chamberlain Ailes, there is no one voice or face for Fox, just competing Princes, who while possed with noble bloodlines, cannot ever hope to rise to control a Kingdom, for the Emperor has a strong, active bloodline despite the defection of Prince Lachlan to parts unkown after failing to manage the Colony of the New York Post.

MSNBC

A Duchy of the Empire of NBC, only Lord Keith has a dominant presence. Many aspire to become princes of the realm, but few are chosen. The Duchy is small and weak, and only the efforts of Lord Keith keeps the region functioning at all. The dukes below him are noted for their incompetence and dull manor. Prince Chris has an financial stake in this duchy as does Prince Timmah in the Duchy of CNBC. Such sinecures allow the princes to be happy and loyal and productive. The odor of failure and confusion linger over the Duchy like the smell of rotting flesh.

CNBC

Princess Maria and Prince Ron manage their Duchy well, but it is also the dumping ground for jesters, knaves and fools. What they handle well, is handled, what they do not, is done in a poor and lackluster manner.

PBS

King Jim is a merry soul, when not distracted by his various interests in literature. A master of the salon, he occasionally sends his knights our on expeditions or uses his allies for same.

The heavy lifting is done by Prince Charlie and the knights of Nova and Frontline, independent, but aflfiate Orders. Which allows King Jim to savage enemies with clean hands.

CNN

Ah,the Kingdom of CNN. Such great promise, such great failure. Once there was wise King Bernard. When he abdicated his throne, the Princes were each given their own fiefdoms. Some were managed well, some taken away. But there is no king and no direction, only princes looking out for their own interests. As a result, the leaderless kingdom staggers from pillar to post.

When it comes to the Kingdoms of the network, each has handled succession differently.

NBC

When King Tom abdicated, his successor, Prince Brian was selected and trained for the role he would assume. King Tom stopped any battle for the throne by naming his successor well beforehand. This also stopped fighting among the Princes and Princesses, many of who have their own powerful fiefdoms. Prince Timmah and Prince Chris were given their own sinecures to divert their interests and prevent them getting ideas about succeeding King Tom to the throne.

So even while King Brian seems callow and unsure, he will have time to grow into the role. There are no challengers to his throne

CBS

When King Dan abdicated his throne earlier this year, the privy council at CBS decided to install a placeholder in King Bob. While others may want the job, King Bob, one of King Dan's most loyal retainers, seems comfortable, even emboldened in the job. While others may challenge for the throne, and the Princes of CBS a fractious lot with much diffused power, the Lord Chamberlain Hewett had to be forced from his office because of his advanced age. The Kingdom has many long serving, elderly princes with tremendous power and the michief they can cause is unknown. When King Dan abdicated, Old King Walter was quite ungracious in commenting on the end of his reign.

But for now, the throne remains King Bob's to lose.

ABC

There is a battle for the throne as we speak. The sudden death of King Peter, with no plans for succession left, means a scramble for power will ensue. The leading five, the four princes and the princess who will vie for the Royal Throne. The jockeying has already begun with extended tributes to the good works of King Peter, neglecting to mention the bitter divorce, the four wives, the dalliances, A charming man who used his charm to good effect

Prince Charles: long the Exchequer of the Tresury for running the vastly profitable Good Morning America, he has always aspired to the throne, and was give his powerful sinecure after leaving his post. The new Exchequer was an absolute failure and soon exiled. Prince Charles and Princess Diane were reinstalled, as a "caretaker" measure which still continues to this day. To remove Prince Charles means a struggle there and a struggle at the Exchequer could lead to problems with the kingdom's finances.

Prince Ted: One of King Peter's closest confidants, he was planning to abdicate at the end of his service agreement. However, like King Bob of CBS, installing the grizzled veteran as King could allow other aspirants to develop leadership skills

Prince George: While his fiefdom is prestigious and of high status, it is unlikely that he could surmount the challenges to take the throne

Prince Bob: While a handsome man, bloodied in the wars, he is both bland and charmless, your stableboy in adulthood. He would be, like King Brian, a dull, safe choice for King, despite his callowness.

Princess Elisabeth: Her Prince Consort was wounded by highwaymen in Denver, but that mishap didn't prevent her from acting in the stead of the king after a suitable interval. There has not been a female ruler since Queen Mother Barbara shared the throne with King Harry, a brief, unhappy sojourn. To place Elisabeth on throne as Queen would be radical. There is her Iberian heritage and marriage to a troubadour, and her sex. Can she dominate stories the way the Princes can.

Also, while Princess Elisabeth was given a profitable sinecure, it was much, much smaller than the other royals. She had tried to seize the Exchequery in her youth, when Queen Joan abdicated, and was cruelly rebuffed, exiled to the netherreachs of the kingdom.

Managing to gain King Peter's favor, she has acted in his stead during his illness. Prince Charles was brought after the king's passing.

While some at court would like to import a Fox prince or Prince Chris from MSNBC, the dynastic politics of the Kingdom of ABC would dictate that any successor to King Peter come from within the kingdom.

Will the Kingdom go with a tested, loyal hand, a new, but trained face, or allow Elisabeth to rise to Queen.

There is no clear idea on who will rise to the throne of King Peter and rule the kingdom henceforth.

posted by Steve @ 3:33:00 AM