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Universal News Network
UniversalNewsNetwork SC2-WoL Story1
Political
Type

Media enterprise

Race(s)

Terran

Leader

Preston Shale (?–early 2489)
Editor-in-Chief Handy Anderson (?–)

Affiliation

TerranConfederacy SC1 Logo1 Terran Confederacy (?–February, 2500)
TerranDominion Logo2a Terran Dominion (February, 2500–)

Societal
Capital/Base

UNN Building, Tarsonis City, Tarsonis (formerly)
Augustgrad, Korhal IV

Official Language

English

Historical
Date Reorganized

February, 2500 (as a Terran Dominion corporation)

Status

Active

  Universal News Network, also known as Universe News Network or UNN, is a major media organization of the terrans in the Koprulu sector.

OverviewEdit

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]

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] Its press corps would often run stories on the Old Families during this time. Much of it was society fluff, though there were also more serious stories concerning allegations of officials becoming rich through means such as government contracts and tax breaks.[3]

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,[4] though another individual may be present at the desk as circumstance dictates.[5]

HistoryEdit

The Guild WarsEdit

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 The 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.[3] Anderson rose to become editor-in-chief by the time the Great War was beginning.[1]

During the latter half of the Guild Wars, in an effort to address criticism of war censorship, the Confederacy had UNN reporter Max Speer embedded into military units, including the 321st Colonial Rangers Battalion on Turaxis II.[3] When Max Speer complained about Confederate war censorship, only fellow reporter Michael Liberty supported him. Speer eventually left UNN and went free-lance.[6]

RebellionEdit

UNN broadcasts pertaining to the Sons of Korhal were peppered with Confederate propaganda.[7]

Liberty ReportsEdit

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.[8] 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.

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.

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 ReportingEdit

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.

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.

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 DevilEdit

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 HistoryEdit

UNN survived the fall of Tarsonis by relocating off world[1][2] and became one of the Dominion's authorized media outlets, broadcasting Arcturus Mengsk's coronation speech[9] and reporting on various Dominion projects.[10][11] Handy Anderson also survived to continue working as one of the Dominion's pawns.[1]

Following the fall of Tarsonis, UNN reported on how Mengsk's regime had brought a bright new future to the terrans of the sector, though the reporters were well aware of the mistruths of their broadcasts. After Mengsk ordered the heirs of the Old Families found on Shi executed, the UNN reported on new evidence coming to light that the heirs had died during the Fall of Tarsonis.[12]

In 2502[13] 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 and passed the information to Liberty (then attached to the Knights of Freedom). In the end, Lockwell's piece, edited into pro-Dominion propaganda, appeared on UNN.[5]

The Second WarEdit

UNN started the war reporting pro-Dominion/anti-Raynor propaganda.[14]

MattHornerMissions SC2 Icon1

This article or section contains information from the optional Rebellion Missions in StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty.

Raynor's Raiders captured the UNN Studios on Korhal, broadcasting proof that Mengsk authorized the use of psi emitters on Tarsonis.[15] This prompted riots.[16]

Kate Lockwell then turned openly against the Dominion. She attempted to air a ten part expose on corruption in the Dominion government, but the newscast was terminated by order of Dominion Security.[17]

After the Dominion's successful raid on Research Station EB-103, the UNN reported on Emperor Mengsk's successful capture and execution of Jim Raynor, as well as Emperor Mengsk's supposed defeat of the zerg and protoss.[18]

End WarEdit

AlliedCommanders SC2-LotV Logo2

This article or section contains information derived from Co-op Missions, and should not be considered part of the official StarCraft storyline.

During the End War, the UNN reported on the attempts of the allied commanders to save the planet of Veridia Prime from Amon's forces. Donny Vermillion and Terry reported on how close the planet was to destruction. The commanders were successful in preventing the destruction of the world.[19]

A New DominionEdit

UNN continued after the fall of Arcturus Mengsk and into the reign of Valerian Mengsk. It reported on the third anniversary of the fall of Arcturus Mengsk, and showed the ceremonies commemorating the day.[20]

After the End War, UNN reported on the arrest of Senator Joss Brogan, as he attempted to hide his criminal history. Several weeks later, they reported on Valerian's disclosure of documents connecting himself to the Moebius Foundation, which bred the hybrid, with Valerian stating he would strive to keep no secrets and be transparent with his people.[21]

Later, Kate Lockwell reported on the zerg sightings on Antiga Prime, and hosted segments asking if the Dominion was doing all it could to aid the population of the planet. In addition, she did a segment on the strange disappearances of many of the Terran Dominion's ghost operatives. The UNN later received information that Agent Nova Terra had killed four Dominion Intelligence Section agents, and Kate Lockwell ran a piece on ghost agents potentially going rogue.[22]

During the Defenders of Man Insurgency, UNN reported on Dominion discontent from the feral zerg attacks, and featured Magistrate Grayson and General Carolina Davis as regular guests to discuss the Dominion's slow response.[23] When Tyrador IX was attacked by feral zerg, UNN covered the situation as it developed, eventually bring on General Davis to discuss the appearance of the Tal'darim on the planet.[24] UNN then turned its focus to the protests outside of Korhal Palace, where protestors began calling for Emperor Valerian Mengsk to step down from his position.[25]

Later, when Valerian announced he would make a speech on Vardona, UNN sent correspondents to view what he had to say. Lockwell speculated that he may be announcing his plans to step down.[26] However, Valeiran announced the crimes of the Defenders of Man, as well as his intention to arrest General Carolina Davis, who led them. Just then, the Tal'darim attacked Vardona, and UNN continued coverage as Valerian and may other important figures were trapped on the surface.[27] After the battle and Davis's escape, UNN noted her status, as well as a bounty on Davis's head.[28]

After the end of the insurgency, UNN reported that Davis had been killed, and that with the release of documents and the findings of the Tyrador IX committee, the people believed Valerian as he stated the Defenders were behind the zerg attacks. They reported that even the Emperor's assassination of Davis was viewed as justified, given the threat she presented.[29]

ShowsEdit

Celebrity ChannelEdit

The "Celebrity Channel" (colloquially named) is a constantly running channel for famous actors and actresses.[30]

Hypernet HelplineEdit

Hypernet Helpline is a broadcast hosted by Alissa LeFlore . It deals with issues involving the hypernet, such as how to minimize holovid spam on CHIRP profiles. It holds the 8:00 PM block of the channel.[22]

Tarsonis and YouEdit

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 YouEdit

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.[31]

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.[32]

The Evening ReportEdit

The Evening Report was a news service that operated during the reign of the Terran Confederacy.[3]

Universe TodayEdit

Universe Today is a talk show.[33]

Universe TonightEdit

Universe Tonight is a news talk program.[34]

Vermillion Live/Lockwell LiveEdit

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.[14] Vermillion retired later in the war during the Battle of Char due to insanity; he was replaced by Kate Lockwell.[35] The segment was renamed "Lockwell Live."[22]

Known StaffEdit

KateLockwell SC2 Head1

Kate Lockwell

Game EffectEdit

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

ReferencesEdit

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Grubb, Jeff (February 27, 2001). StarCraft: Liberty's Crusade. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 978-0671-04148-9.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 DeCandido, Keith R. A. (November 28, 2006). StarCraft: Ghost: Nova. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 978-0743-47134-3.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Dietz, William C. (April 6, 2010). StarCraft II: Heaven's Devils. Simon & Schuster (Gallery Books). ISBN 978-1416-55084-6.
  4. 2008-12-10, BlizzCon StarCraft 2 Gameplay Panel. IncGamers. Accessed on 2008-15-10
  5. 5.0 5.1 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.
  6. Blizzard Entertainment staff. "Heaven's Devils: Lost Transmissions." (December 7, 2010). Blizzard Entertainment. Heaven’s Devils: Lost Transmissions Accessed 2010-12-08.
  7. Blizzard Entertainment. 2010-07-24. Cast of Characters: Valerian Mengsk. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2010-07-24.
  8. Neilson, Micky (December 18, 2000). StarCraft: Uprising. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 978-0743-41898-0 (eBook).
  9. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Cinematic: The Inauguration. (in English). 1998.
  10. 1998-10-09. Catwalk. StarCraft Compendium Map Archives. Accessed 2007-07-02.
  11. 1998-12-22. Gemini Station. StarCraft Compendium Map Archives. Accessed 2007-07-02.
  12. Gerrold, David (w), Fernando Heinz Furukawa (p, i). StarCraft: Ghost Academy: Volume 3 (paperback binding). Tokyopop, March 8, 2011. ISBN 978-1427-81614-6.
  13. April 6, 2010. "Timeline". StarCraft II: Heaven's Devils. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). pp. 311 - 323. ISBN 978-1416-55084-6.
  14. 14.0 14.1 Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Special Report: UNN newscast after "Liberation Day." (in English). 2010.
  15. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Wings of Liberty, Media Blitz (in English). 2010-07-27.
  16. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mengsk Scandal: UNN newscast after "Media Blitz." (in English). 2010.
  17. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mengsk Scandal: UNN newscast after "Piercing the Shroud." (in English). 2010.
  18. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Cinematic: Transmission (in English). 2013-03-12.
  19. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Co-op Missions, The Vermillion Problem (in English). 2016-06-14.
  20. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Cinematic: Homecoming. (in English). 2015.
  21. Neilson, Micky (w), Edouard Guiton (i) and Sandra Molina (c). (November 29, 2016). Nova: The Keep. Blizzard Entertainment. Nova: The Keep Accessed 2016-11-29.
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 Kate Lockwell Twitter. Kate Lockwell's Twitter, accessed on 2016-03-22
  23. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Nova Covert Ops, Enemy Intelligence (in English). 2016-03-29.
  24. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Nova Covert Ops. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Cinematic: The Highlord's Bargain (in English). 2016-08-02.
  25. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Nova Covert Ops, Flashpoint (in English). 2016-08-02.
  26. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Nova Covert Ops, In the Enemy's Shadow (in English). 2016-11-22.
  27. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Nova Covert Ops, Dark Skies (in English). 2016-11-22.
  28. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Nova Covert Ops. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Cinematic: The Emperor's Justice (in English). 2016-11-22.
  29. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Nova Covert Ops. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Cinematic: Resolutions (in English). 2016-11-22.
  30. McNeill, Graham (December 30, 2008). StarCraft: I, Mengsk. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 978-1-4165-5083-9.
  31. 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.
  32. Gerrold, David (w), Fernando Heinz Furukawa (p, i). StarCraft: Ghost Academy: Volume 2 (paperback binding). Tokyopop, August 10, 2010. ISBN 978-1427-81613-9.
  33. 1999-09-24, Watering Hole.StarCraft Compendium Map Archives. Accessed on 2007-11-09
  34. 1999-04-02. Egg Madness. StarCraft Compendium Map Archives. Accessed 2007-07- -07-01.
  35. 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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