Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Starships of the Galaxy
See also: Starship Basics
The HoloNet is an interstellar instantaneous communication system that allows planets to stay in contact despite the vast distances between systems. A HoloNet Transceiver transmits and receives information through Hyperspace, allowing the communications to travel millions of times faster than the speed of light across vast distances. Countless Hyperwave Transceivers (Simple satellites equipped with a variety of communications gear) are embedded in Hyperspace and transmit signals from one side of the galaxy to the other. This network allows for instantaneous, three-dimensional holographic communication for space fleets and planetary governments. During the Clone Wars and the reign of the Empire, the HoloNet is reserved for military use only, and news must be transmitted between worlds by other means (Such as subspace radio relays). However, some slicers are able to connect to HoloNet satellites and broadcast pirate signals across the network, gaining access to its information and enabling clandestine transmissions. A HoloNet node's security is difficult to penetrate, however (Will Defense 20, Hostile).
Most smaller military vessels have Hyperstranceivers, allowing access to the HoloNet and instantaneous communication over great distances but lacking the bandwidth and range of a HoloNet Transceiver.
The Imperial HoloNet[]
Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Rebellion Era Campaign Guide
For Imperial citizens, The HoloNet is the most important source of information in The Rebellion Era. With thousands of channels in thousands of languages covering millions of subjects daily, The HoloNet is a wellspring of information.
What citizens do not realize, however, is that the Empire heavily censors The HoloNet. Some channels are blocked outright, and news stories are routinely removed from broadcasts and revised to case the stories in terms more favorable to the Empire.
Even so, news is broadcast as events happen and is retracted or "Corrected" only after the initial report reaches the public. Certain maverick reporters have joined the Rebellion specifically to report stories as they happen, transmit them on live feeds to news officers around the galaxy, and then get away before the Empire shows up to arrest them. Punishments for broadcasting anti-Empire "Propaganda" are severe- many ex-reporters now labor in the spice mines of Kessel- but that does not stop those dedicated to bringing the truth to the Empire's citizens by any means available.
Homebrew HoloNet News Organization Data[]
HoloNet News Organization Data created by Wikia user Droidscotty.
See also: Organizations
Based on Coruscant, HoloNet News is a broadcast network that can be traced as far back as the Freedon Nadd Uprising. With the tagline "The Information Sources for the Republic," the publications segment into news on business, regional sectors, Jedi, sports, and common Republic life, as well as general news headlines.
Type: Business/Professional
Enemies and Allies: The premiere broadcast for news in The Old Republic and The Galactic Republic, HoloNet News would fall under control of The Galactic Empire for many years before properly returning in The New Republic and The Galactic Alliance.
Scale: 17 (Partial Galactic; most known worlds, except in some regions)
Criteria Tables: The following criteria can affect the Organization Scores of members of HoloNet News.
CRITERIA | MODIFIER | |
---|---|---|
POSITIVE CRITERIA | ||
Experience | +1/2 Character Levels | |
Charisma 13 or higher | +1 | |
Trained in Gather Information | +1 | |
Trained in Persuasion | +1 | |
Possess the Expert Briber Feat | +1 | |
Possess the Informer Feat | +1 | |
Possess the Mission Specialist (Gather Information) Feat | +1 | |
Possess the Skill Focus (Gather Information) Feat | +1 | |
Possess a level in the Infiltrator Prestige Class | +1 | |
Possess a Talent from the Spy Talent Tree | +1 per Talent | |
30 or more years in HoloNet News | +1 | |
Made a discovery important to HoloNet News | +1 per 3 Discoveries | |
Recommendation from a member of HoloNet News with an Organization Score of 23+ | +2 | |
NEGATIVE CRITERIA | ||
Charisma 8 or lower | -2 | |
Failed to make a discovery important to HoloNet News for a year | -1 | |
Sold, or gave away information important to HoloNet News | -10 |
Titles, Benefits, and Duties: The following includes the various ranks and titles of HoloNet News, as well as their benefits and duties befitting their stature.
RANK | SCORE | BENEFITS AND DUTIES |
---|---|---|
Journalist | 0-8 | Journalists are freelance reporters, that use their own sources and methods to uncover important stories.
|
Reporter | 9-12 | Reporters are professional hires of HoloNet News, and are assigned specific stories to investigate.
|
Special Envoy | 13-15 | Special Envoys are semi-permanent reports assigned to specific events or locations due to their familiarity on the subjects.
|
Zone Correspondent | 16-20 | Zone Correspondents are largely responsible for coordinating planetary reporters and special envoys, and presenting those reports to HoloNet News and System Correspondents.
|
System Correspondent | 21-27 | System Correspondents are more well-known in their reporting, and present their reports over entire systems.
|
Sector Correspondent | 28-34 | Sector Correspondents are famous celebrities that present the news to entire sectors of the galaxy.
|
Department Chief | 35-38 | Department Chiefs manage their correspondents, and arrange the news to best present their acquired reports.
|
Vice President | 39-42 | The Vice President manages HoloNet News' personal, and perform the duties of the President when they are unavailable.
|
President | 43-45 | The executive official in charge of maintaining and managing the HoloNet News' Network.
|
CEO | 46+ | The Chief Executive Officer, or CEO, is the head of HoloNet News and has executive authority over the entire network.
|