For those in power, it was all about short-term gains rather than long-term solutions in Unconfirmed Reports, episode two of the fifth series of The Wire on FX last night.
Executive Editor of The Baltimore Sun, James C Whiting III (Sam Freed), wanted the paper to look at the “Dickensian lives” of the children in the city. Gus Haynes (Clark Johnson), the news editor who is trying to maintain high standards, thought they should tackle the real issues, but was told by his boss that they’re going “to limit the scope and not get bogged down in detail”.
Meanwhile, ambitious young reporter Scott Templeton (Tom McCarthy) seems keen not to let the facts get in the way of a good story when he’s sent to write a feature at a sports game.
And as for Mayor Tommy Carcetti (the excellent Aidan Gillen), the budget cutbacks might mean the police aren’t meeting their targets, but the news that the schools are doing well is a vote-winner that he can run for election on.
Yep, everything superficial is holding sway in the corridors of power. Whatever it takes to get your newspaper noticed, to move up the career ladder and get a job on a more prestigious paper, or to get the voters to elect you.
