IT HAPPENS
DAY FILE
Around America there are running conversations about Aaron Sorkin's new HBO drama The Newsroom.
I posted earlier about the superb "ballistic monologue" by Jeff Daniels as a cable net news anchor in responding to a question about America's "greatness." The truth was withering.
Episode 2 provided its great moment when the same
character opened a broadcast and apologized for the failure of American journalism. Again Sorkin speaks truth.
Lana asked if seeing the drama made me miss my days as a news executive or news anchor. It did fire those synapses that John Chancellor, the late NBC anchor, used to call "the fire horse instinct," answering the bell. Seeing the election night scenarios brought back memories of many such nights. Election night was always the most "fun" and it required a decompressing that only those who have been there can fully understand.
There were other memories, however. The battle between the head of the news division and the network president over the network's need to curry favors with congressmen because their votes were vital to the network's business interests. It was a scene familiar to me. Been there and done that. Stood my ground on ethics and common sense. Further comment would do no one any good, except a few lawyers. Some things I don't miss.
Sorkin wrote of something conscientious broadcast journalists have said for years. The news should be void of sponsors, it should be provided as a public service. That would help remove it from the tyranny of playing to the ratings. Networks and television stations make plenty of money, even in recessions and they can afford to staff and air news without selling out. Oh, the budget battles! There's another memory. Something else I am happy to live without.
It is merely a drama and an entertainment show, but there is truth in this fiction.
THE ROCKER IN SHADOWS
As the afternoon light was beginning its transition to
that magic "golden hour" I noticed how the oak rocker in
my study was being lit and how it was caught in and cast shadows. A perfect lightbreeze moment.
See you down the trail.
We are really enjoying Newsroom. I know it's by the same folks who gave us The West Wing, but it also draws on that great movie from 1976 written by Paddy Chayefsky: Network.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are such a warm invitation to sit down.
A great joy of living in California is the infusion of light.
DeleteAS long as there is no friction in the fiction.
ReplyDeleteThat from this faction. I will be a happy witness of the excellent drama when it is on disc. No HBO, so... -w-
It will make good viewing for you when it goes to DVD.
DeleteYup, I'm with Will. Busy watching the second season of Treme right now. Gasp! Steve Earll got shot last night!
ReplyDeleteI'm eager for Treme to come back on. I think you'll enjoy The Newsroom. You lived it too.
DeletePersonal experience proved it was no different where ink was the media. Editorial integrity was defined by placing the ad one page off the story. Love the pic.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Yep, I guess the battle between advertising and editorial is as old as rocks or cave painting huh?
DeleteNewsroom? Guess I need to go "in search of . . ."
ReplyDeleteThe Newsroom on HBO. Aaron Sorkin, who wrote West Wing and Social Network is the scribe. Great script and especially good dialogues.
DeleteI remember the fight we had at WHDH about the Pope's first visit to the US. First stop Boston. We were an AC with a strong news department. In the meeting i said "I'll be god damned if I'll play be playing a Tony Orlando and Dawn record when the Pope shows up in Boston. We went "All Pope" the entire time Pope was in Boston, 36 hours. We even brought in priests as color men. We buried WBZ. Sponsor's loved it and we all worked the entire time. I never even saw the Pope, just a glimpse as he drove down Boylston Street.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of covering my first Presidential Visit. Nixon calling for a meeting with Lugar back in the era of Revenue Sharing. Fred Heckman directed our continuous coverage. I was at the airport for the arrival and departure. We were on it from wheels down to wheels up. I was just a kid, but I recall thinking, this is the big time.
ReplyDeleteWe were doing talk at night from 8pm to 5am. David Brudnoy was the early host and did a 'play by play of the Pope's dinner at the Cardinal's house. Brudnoy wrote a food column for the Boston Phoenix and had the inside story of every course, all the wines, etc. The arch diocese had brought in good catholic chefs from the best restaurants and Dave knew hem all.He even knew what china they were using. Norm Nathan the all night guy had the Boston Symphony string quartet that played for the Pope before and after dinner along with the opera singers who sang for him. The best guy on the coverage was Dan Davis our sports guy, play by play of the Pope. We lost dan to the early ESPn about a month later. Vin Maloney the morning news guy was out standing. Vin was the MC for the opening of the JFK library and was a Kennedy favorite. Vin was the guy who said Teddy had a folding chair with his name on it in every parish in Massachusetts!
ReplyDelete