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'''Universal News Network''', also known as '''Universe News Network''' and '''UNN''', is a major media organization of the [[terrans]] in the [[Koprulu Sector]], originally a corporation within the [[Terran Confederacy]].<ref name = "Liberty">Grubb, Jeff. ''[[StarCraft: Liberty's Crusade]]''. Pocket Books, February 27, 2001. ISBN 0-671-04148-7.</ref>
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'''Universal News Network''', also known as '''Universe News Network''' and '''UNN''', is a major media organization of the [[Terrans]] in the [[Koprulu Sector]], originally a corporation within the [[Terran Confederacy]].<ref name = "Liberty">Grubb, Jeff. ''[[StarCraft: Liberty's Crusade]]''. Pocket Books, February 27, 2001. ISBN 0-671-04148-7.</ref>
   
 
==Overview==
  
==Overview==

Revision as of 00:18, 17 September 2010

Universal News Network, also known as Universe News Network and UNN, is a major media organization of the Terrans in the Koprulu Sector, originally a corporation within the Terran Confederacy.[1]

Overview

In addition to having a headquarters on Korhal, it was based in the UNN Building in Tarsonis City, Tarsonis;[1][2] the tower was one of the tallest and most recognizable landmarks in the city. The editor-in-chief, Handy Anderson, worked out of the top floor (and is ironically afraid of heights) but the real work took place on lower floors. Anderson was rumored to hide a large collection of "dirt" on important Confederate political figures in the basement of the tower; former UNN investigative reporter Michael Liberty has "confirmed" this as truth.[1]

The UNN had an undisclosed relationship with the Terran Confederacy; sometimes it seemed to be their puppet, and at other times its reporters could antagonize the Confederate government.[1][2]

The senior management was "green tag" former military, leading them to think in redundancies.[1]

UNN seems to usually rely on a single news anchor for news presentation,[3] though another individual may be present at the desk as circumstance dictates.[4]

History

During the Guild Wars the UNN reported independently from the Confederate government, earning it numerous investigations. In 2488, it was persuaded to stop investigating illegal drafting into the Confederate Armed Forces, and that year its Price of War documentary series was pulled by censors. Some of its reporters had aired uncensored war footage. Embedded reporter Handy Anderson "blew the whistle" on them, resulting in treason charges. By the next year, six members of the board of directors had resigned.[5] Anderson rose to become editor-in-chief by the time the Great War was beginning.[1]

Liberty Reports

UniverseNewsNetwork SC1 Logo1

Great War-era logo.

The UNN has reported on a number of newsworthy events, such as the Sons of Korhal attack on the Ghost Academy of Tarsonis.[6] Approximately three months before the start of the Great War, UNN dispatched investigative reporter Michael Liberty onto the Confederacy Alpha Squadron command ship Norad II in order to keep him safe after he stirred up too much political trouble on Tarsonis.[1]

The Norad II was sent rushing to Chau Sara after the attack on the world; Liberty got to see the protoss handiwork on the now lifeless world. Realizing something was amiss, Liberty argued with Norad II commander Edmund Duke until he was thrown from the bridge. His reports started getting censored or "lost", especially as he continued to make negative observations about the Confederate military.[1]

After witnessing the Confederacy treating his new friend Jim Raynor terribly (throwing him in jail just for doing his job), narrowly avoiding being murdered by a "terrorist" (probably a Confederate agent, according to a source) and meeting up with members of the Sons of Korhal, Liberty started working "with, not for" the Sons of Korhal.[1]

False Reporting

Unfortunately for Liberty, UNN became little more than a propaganda mouthpiece for the Terran Confederacy. Liberty missed the opportunity to report on the destruction of Chau Sara after being thrown off the Norad II and deposited onto Mar Sara (in the same system). The Confederates released small bits of "non-news" emphasizing the heroism of the Confederates and the "cowardice" of the protoss.[1]

Liberty's broadcasts were either "lost" or "creatively edited" until they often said the exact opposite of what Liberty had intended; indeed, the reports now said whatever the Confederacy wanted them to say.[1]

Liberty traveled to Antiga Prime with the Sons of Korhal, dispatching pro-Mengsk messages to convince the Antigans to rise up against the Confederacy. The Sons of Korhal/Antigan alliance defeated an Alpha Squadron detachment, after which the Confederacy imposed a blockade on the planet. At this point, Arcturus Mengsk showed Liberty a flat-screen report of an idealized version of Michael Liberty, which appeared as the Confederates panicked. The fake Liberty claimed that he had just escaped from the Sons of Korhal, who had captured him on Mar Sara shortly before the world was burned by the protoss. He also claimed that Mengsk released "poisonous" mind control drugs on the populace of Antiga Prime, killing some and mutating others into strange shapes. He also claimed that a Sons of Korhal saboteur released a "virulent toxin" onto the Norad II, causing it to crash. Some soldiers, including Duke, became "mentally reprogrammed zombies" for the purpose of harming Confederate morale, while others were killed by Mengsk's zerg "allies", however, there was no need to worry because the Confederates had blockaded the planet and the "terrorists should be destroyed in a few days". Mengsk mocked the report for because they obviously "laid it on thick". Mengsk said he preferred to use holograms because they were harder to fake. Liberty was so angry he no longer wanted anything to do with the Confederacy.[1]

As the war against the protoss, zerg and Sons of Korhal wore on, the Confederacy even used the UNN to help recruit troops.[1][2]

Another reporter made another fake broadcast about the situation on Antiga Prime. The report claimed that Mengsk and the protoss had hatched a deal; as long as Mengsk got to be ruler of Antiga Prime, the protoss would have the rest of the Confederacy. Many of the citizens of Tarsonis had a hard time believing the fake reports.[2]

Dealing with the Devil

Arcturus Mengsk lured the zerg to destroy Tarsonis and abandoned his officer, Lieutenant Sarah Kerrigan there. This action caused another officer, Jim Raynor, to abandon Mengsk. Editor-in-chief Handy Anderson, suborned by Mengsk, offered Liberty a "cush" position in Mengsk's propaganda organization, but Liberty rejected him. Instead, he wrote a "manifesto" stating many of the pitfalls of the Terran Confederacy and Arcturus Mengsk; it also attempted to reverse the damage done to his reputation by the Confederates "editing" his previous reports.[1]

Post-Confederacy History

UNN survived the fall of Tarsonis by relocating off world[1][7] and became one of the Dominion's authorized media outlets, broadcasting Arcturus Mengsk's coronation speech[8] and reporting on various Dominion projects.[9][10] Handy Anderson also survived to continue working as one of the Dominion's pawns.[1]

In 2502[11] UNN wanted to embed a reporter in the Dominion Marine Corps, but the latter refused due to the incident with Michael Liberty. Handy Anderson assured Dominion marine major Tom Hawkins that something like that wouldn't happen again, and vouched for the reporter, Kate Lockwell. However, things went badly for the report when she discovered Hawkins's unit's atrocities. In the end, Lockwell's piece, edited into pro-Dominion propaganda, appeared on UNN.[4]

The Second War

UNN started the war reporting pro-Dominion/anti-Raynor propaganda.[12]

Plot option : Raynor's Raiders broadcast Mengsk's war crimes

Raynor's Raiders captured UNN Studios on Korhal, broadcasting information about Arcturus Mengsk's war crimes on Tarsonis.[13] This prompted riots.

Kate Lockwell then turned openly against the Dominion. She attempted to air an expose on Mengsk, only to be shut down by Dominion forces.[14]

Plot option starts here

Shows

Celebrity Channel

The "Celebrity Channel" (colloquially named) is a constantly running channel for famous actors and actresses.[15]

Tarsonis and You

Tarsonis and You was a talk show hosted by E. B. James. It featured debates between politicians and reporters. One debated centered around an aide to a member of the Confederate Council and a UNN reporter, Jennifer Schlesinger, debating the war between the Sons of Korhal and the Confederacy against the backdrop of alien attacks. James introduced Schlesinger by saying she was reporting on Antiga Prime but was forced to flee because of the Sons of Korhal "takeover" of the world. Schlesinger agreed – to a point – with the Sons of Korhal actions.[2]

The Dominion and You

The Dominion and You is also hosted by E. B. James. Similar to Tarsonis and You, James interviewed singer Ella Mars, finance minister Aldeo Cistler and discussed infrastructure on Braxis Alpha. He reported on rebel senator Corbin Phash and his son, Colin, interviewing Ghost Program director Kevin Bick and countering the elder Phash's negative comments on the Ghost Academy.[16]

Later James reported on Aal Cistler's claims of drug and student abuse at the Academy, ambushing Director Bick in the process. Bick believed Arcturus Mengsk was sending him a message.[17]

The Evening Report

The Evening Report was a news service that operated during the reign of the Terran Confederacy.[5]

Universe Today

Universe Today is a talk show.[18]

Universe Tonight

Universe Tonight is a news talk program.[19]

Vermillion Live

Vermillion Live was a news show on the air by the Second Great War. It aired a lot of Dominion propoganda. Its host was Donny Vermillion.[12] Vermillion retired later in the war during the Battle of Char due to insanity; he was replaced by Kate Lockwell.[20]

Known Staff

Game Effect

In Wings of Liberty, the Raynor's Raiders can watch UNN on flat-screen viewers, both in the Hyperion cantina and on planetary surfaces.

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 Grubb, Jeff. StarCraft: Liberty's Crusade. Pocket Books, February 27, 2001. ISBN 0-671-04148-7.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 DeCandido, Keith R. A. (November 28, 2006). StarCraft: Ghost: Nova. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 0-7434-7134-2.
  3. ↑ 2008-12-10, BlizzCon StarCraft 2 Gameplay Panel. IncGamers. Accessed on 2008-15-10
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Randolph, Grace (w), Nan Kim (art), Matt Dalton (i). "Newsworthy." In StarCraft: Frontline: Volume 2 (paperback binding), pp. 68-121. Tokyopop, January 1, 2009. ISBN 1427-80831-7.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Dietz, William C. (April 6, 2010). StarCraft II: Heaven's Devils. Simon & Schuster (Gallery Books). ISBN 978-1416-55084-6. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "SC:HDevils" defined multiple times with different content
  6. ↑ Neilson, Micky. StarCraft: Uprising. New York and Toronto, Ontario: Pocket Books, December 2000. ISBN 0-7434-1898-0 (eBook only).
  7. ↑ DeCandido, Keith R. A. (November 28, 2006). StarCraft: Ghost: Nova. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 0-7434-7134-2.
  8. ↑ StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Cinematic: The Inauguration (in English). 1998.
  9. ↑ 1998-10-09. Catwalk. StarCraft Compendium Map Archives. Accessed 2007-07-02.
  10. ↑ 1998-12-22. Gemini Station. StarCraft Compendium Map Archives. Accessed 2007-07-02.
  11. ↑ April 6, 2010. "Timeline". StarCraft II: Heaven's Devils. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). pp. 311 - 323. ISBN 978-1416-55084-6.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Special Report: UNN newscast after "Liberation Day." (in English). 2010. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "SC2-WoL_StoryUNNRaynorReturns" defined multiple times with different content
  13. ↑ Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Wings of Liberty, Media Blitz (in English). 2010-07-27.
  14. ↑ Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mengsk Scandal: UNN newscast after "Piercing the Shroud." (in English). 2010.
  15. ↑ McNeill, Graham (December 30, 2008). StarCraft: I, Mengsk. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 978-1-4165-5083-9.
  16. ↑ DeCandido, Keith R. A. (w), Fernando Heinz Furukawa (p, i). StarCraft: Ghost Academy: Volume 1 (paperback binding). Tokyopop, January 1, 2010. ISBN 978-1427-81612-2.
  17. ↑ Gerrold, David (w), Fernando Heinz Furukawa (p, i). StarCraft: Ghost Academy: Volume 2 (paperback binding). Tokyopop, August 10, 2010. ISBN 978-1427-81613-9.
  18. ↑ 1999-09-24, Watering Hole.StarCraft Compendium Map Archives. Accessed on 2007-11-09
  19. ↑ 1999-04-02. Egg Madness. StarCraft Compendium Map Archives. Accessed 2007-07- -07-01.
  20. ↑ Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. UNN newscast after "Belly of the Beast" or "Shatter the Sky." (in English). 2010.
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