We're Bleeding Red Ink!
The following was an article written for the dissolution of Galactic Tabloid Publications, but was unpublished.
The following message has been relayed through the communication channels of Fuzz Inc. via the realm of the Binaros Smuggling Alliance...
Factions come and go on a regular basis, but something that has been dying a slow death for some time has finally succumbed to dissolution and left stockholders with a handsome payout as the doors closed for the last time. Galactic Tabloid Publications was formed to provide the galaxy with information and news on a regular basis, of an unbiased nature free from oppression or political agenda, however their history could be described as a typical holiday romance on Naboo. What once began as a flourishing love affair with an attractive sentient soon degraded into a distant relationship starved of communication. The same can be said of GTP who began with regular correspondents, enlightening the galaxy of developments around known space, which then degraded into a silent firm only focused on planetary development and not on its shareholders or loyal readership. After a rigorous analysis of the entities inside GTP, many employees have remained with the company, but due to poor review techniques by the Board of Directors, the company continues to encourage a non-productive work environment, constantly missing deadlines and production meetings, leaving their staff unoccupied at their desks drinking Ale and shooting up on Ryll patches to get through a boring cycle of employment.
Galactic Tabloid Publications began as a joint venture between Jax Karrde and Taalon Darksky on Day 86 of Year 7 as a local communications firm operating out of the Elrood Sector. As the company began to recruit new staff, including bright reporter Rick Drudge to voice the correspond ants, they poured out a large amount of information to the galaxy with great enthusiasm. Soon after their main operations began to commence, the became marred in controversy, causing Jax Karrde to leave the company and left Taalon without a business partner or the resources to continue the business as a sole operation. After selling the company to a selection of private investors lead by Arjuna Ketwol, the partners went their different ways and hid from public scrutiny and embarrassment. However, just over a year later, Taalon re-emerged from the Unknown Regions and reacquired the business, resuming what he first started, however the business never seemed to return to its original greatness. Struggling with the reality that his company was declining, Taalon decided to post false statements and defamatory remarks against a number of high level government officials throughout the galaxy and received an unprecedented amount of complaints of lawsuits from once loyal stockholders and by those affected. Calling bankruptcy on the company, Taalon sold the business to a Jack Holdor who was at the time the Director of Culture inside the Trade Federation and once again fled public life. With such a polluted public image, GTP was never recovered under an inexperienced Holdor and was sold onto Jormugand Gand, who rectified the image of the company once again and produced critically acclaimed articles for the galaxy. However, the sad trend only continued and Gand sold the company to Seif Keilani.
As the business fails to produce information for the galaxy, rumours have circulated regarding the mental health of Seif Keilani and the Board of Directors inside Galactic Tabloid Publications. With the most recent Galactic Business News Network (the portal for all GTP correspondents) dating back to over a galactic year ago, one must wonder where all the directors have disappeared to. As the single remaining GTP controlled planet, Berebosuil in the Trax Sector continues to degrade, local populations of almost ninety-five million have begun to riot due to poor upkeep, with planetary governor Seif Keilani and GTP officials out of public light and unavailable to comment. All appears in disarray for the citizens of Berebosuil as the dissolution leaves the local population in command, and with no elected representative or paid law enforcement personnel, the planetary control is nonexistent and has no apparent end in sight. With riots raging over the abandoned planet, many citizens have noticed prized reporter Rick Drudge wandering the streets without a purpose, malnourished and displaying an incredibly poor lack of hygiene. Having been abandoned by the Board, Rick remains unemployed and without an income. The unraveling of GTP has no doubt had a grave affect on his livelihood, and his family has expressed grave concerns for his health through private communications.
The whole scenario isn't just about Rick Drudge and the citizens of Berebosuil however. Many people, including majority holders Longstreet and the Intergalactic Banking Clan are asking how a company that, over four galactic years could of increased its value by 635%, and yet suddenly wither away into nothing due to poor management. With their capital having exceeded 220 million galactic credits, it's amazing the faction made so much and yet had their entire roster of employees disappear. Large numbers of corporate investors and factions throughout the galaxy have commenced formal enquiries with a number of galactic authorities, fearful of a hostile takeover and that the lives of the missing employees throughout Galactic Tabloid Publications are in grave danger. Most throughout the galaxy fear however that their disappearance will remain unsolved, as the news of an unbiased information entity dissolving can only bolster government propaganda throughout known space without a voice for sentient defence.
As another information organization collapses, is it now solely in the hands of Government organizations to provide news for the citizens of known space? With incredibly rare public announcements from the Falleen Federation, one must fear for the sanctity of knowledge throughout the galaxy, and with limited correspondents and news releases currently, sentients only fear that future announcements will only contain political propaganda and only serve the interests of the governments that report them. Many also fear for the citizens of Berebosuil, and hope that soon someone will manage to obtain control of the situation. As a bleak feature appears to be unfolding for information, one can only hope the sanctity of news continues in an unbiased fashion to ensure the voice of the galaxy is heard, and words aren't shoved down their throats by political oppression. However, if Courier Communications and Bothan Media Services are the answer, perhaps citizens should tune into a local Gungan broadcast, they'll no doubt receive greater enrichment and knowledge watching a tall, long tongued stick insect than from either organization.
This is Doc Jessa reporting for Fuzz Inc. and may we hope the information giants are the galaxy are far from gone. Fuzz out.
