Eu acredito que Stewart também postou sua pergunta no Quora.com, e encontrou a resposta para sua própria pergunta lá, mas eu vou repassar aqui por uma questão de referência e também apenas no caso, já que achei a história muito interessante na medida em que faz muitas previsões de tecnologia no futuro que nós realmente temos hoje.
Este é "No ano de 2889" escrito por Jules Verne e Michel Verne em 1889 (!). Texto completo no link fornecido.
Na história, o proprietário (talvez também editor) do jornal é tão influente que pode dizer a qualquer governo ou entidade privada o que fazer ou arruiná-los pela mídia.
For George Washington Smith's newspaper has lived generation after generation, now passing out of the family, anon coming back to it. When, 200 years ago, the political center of the United States was transferred from Washington to Centropolis, the newspaper followed the government and assumed the name of Earth Chronicle. Unfortunately, it was unable to maintain itself at the high level of its name. Pressed on all sides by rival journals of a more modern type, it was continually in danger of collapse. Twenty years ago its subscription list contained but a few hundred thousand names, and then Mr. Fritz Napoleon Smith bought it for a mere trifle, and originated telephonic journalism.
...
...he is to-day king of newspaperdom; indeed, he would be king of all the Americans, too, if Americans could ever accept a king. You do not believe it? Well, then, look at the plenipotentiaries of all nations and our own ministers themselves crowding about his door, entreating his counsels, begging for his approbation, imploring the aid of his all-powerful organ. Reckon up the number of scientists and artists that he supports, of inventors that he has under his pay.
Descrevendo um dia na vida:
Nevertheless, and notwithstanding these considerations, Fritz Napoleon Smith's mode of life may well astonish one. His iron constitution is taxed to the utmost by the heavy strain that is put upon it. Vain the attempt to estimate the amount of labor he undergoes; an example alone can give an idea of it. Let us then go about with him for one day as he attends to his multifarious concernments. What day? That matters little; it is the same every day. Let us then take at random September 25th of this present year 2889.
Parte do seu dia de trabalho é reunir-se com vários inventores ou pesquisadores que lançam suas ideias.
One readily understands how a man situated as Smith is must be beset with requests of all kinds. Now it is an inventor needing capital; again it is some visionary who comes to advocate a brilliant scheme which must surely yield millions of profit. A choice has to be made between these projects, rejecting the worthless, examining the questionable ones, accepting the meritorious. To this work Mr. Smith devotes every day two full hours.
The callers were fewer to-day than usual—only twelve of them. Of these, eight had only impracticable schemes to propose. In fact, one of them wanted to revive painting, an art fallen into desuetude owing to the progress made in color-photography. Another, a physician, boasted that he had discovered a cure for nasal catarrh! These impracticables were dismissed in short order.
Um dos inventores afirma que encontrou uma maneira de duplicar artificialmente algum material valioso (talvez fosse diamante ou urânio), mas o dono o chama de maluco e o expulsa. Na verdade, sua proposta foi uma das que Fritz aceitou.
"Sir, I am a chemist," he began, "and as such I come to you."
"Well!"
"Once the elementary bodies," said the young chemist, "were held to be sixty-two in number; a hundred years ago they were reduced to ten; now only three remain irresolvable, as you are aware."
"Yes, yes."
"Well, sir, these also I will show to be composite. In a few months, a few weeks, I shall have succeeded in solving the problem. Indeed, it may take only a few days."
"And then?"
"Then, sir, I shall simply have determined the absolute. All I want is money enough to carry my research to a successful issue."
"Very well," said Mr. Smith. "And what will be the practical outcome of your discovery?"
"The practical outcome? Why, that we shall be able to produce easily all bodies whatever—stone, wood, metal, fibers—"
"And flesh and blood?" queried Mr. Smith, interrupting him. "Do you pretend that you expect to manufacture a human being out and out?"
"Why not?"
Mr. Smith advanced $100,000 to the young chemist, and engaged his services for the Earth Chronicle laboratory.
O proprietário tem uma esposa que, se bem me lembro, ele se encontra depois do trabalho para um jantar, viajando uma distância enorme entre as cidades por algum meio de transporte futurista. Ele não viaja de verdade, é algum tipo de dispositivo de comunicação diferente da videoconferência (Skype) hoje em dia.
The telephote! Here is another of the great triumphs of science in our time. The transmission of speech is an old story; the transmission of images by means of sensitive mirrors connected by wires is a thing but of yesterday. A valuable invention indeed, and Mr. Smith this morning was not niggard of blessings for the inventor, when by its aid he was able distinctly to see his wife notwithstanding the distance that separated him from her. ... He seats himself. In the mirror of the phonotelephote is seen the same chamber at Paris which appeared in it this morning. A table furnished forth is likewise in readiness here, for notwithstanding the difference of hours, Mr. Smith and his wife have arranged to take their meals simultaneously. It is delightful thus to take breakfast tête-a-tête with one who is 3000 miles or so away. Just now, Mrs. Smith's chamber has no occupant.