Report from Birmingham

On the first day, Nancy Grace, from Court TV, was here. For a few minutes anyway. She was pretty, dressed brilliantly. Only one in court in a designer purple dress. A star. She watched the opening statements, did a courthouse talking head, and was most likely back in Atlanta, for supper. There are a few assigned reporters from the local TV stations. Overheard one reporter asking another, “You here for the whole trial,” and the answer was, “I hope not.” Waiting in line, to get in the first day, the reporters chat about other stories they are covering, or the state of journalism, in general. There’s an interminable trial in Montgomery. The reporter is weary. It was supposed to end a month ago. They talk about parashoot drops and how they tend to spread the home staff thin. Not like the old days. I want to say, “You mean like back when there was really such a thing as a journalist, and it was still a bona fide profession.” But I don’t. I’m silent, watching the trial. In line, a reporter breezes in like she has a scoop, and says: “Hey, they’ve got TV in the Jury Room.” Someone says, “So we can see the trial?” She says, “No. So we can see who got nominated for Academy Awards.” Now there’s a beat to cover. Of all the damn luck, if only I could jet off to exciting places to interview movies stars, but no, I had to get stuck in this god forsaken outpost, covering a trial. And it’s a business trial at that.

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