There’s no doubt that ‘journalism’ films exist; there’s the kind that portray journalists as moral beings with a responsibility to inform the public on important issues. Or there’s the kind that paint journalists as the bad guys who are out to get you and will do anything (moral or not) to get a story. But is there another side to ‘journalism’ films and can we see journalists as real people?
Broadcast News tells the story of three journalists working in the television industry, and their personal lives that come hand in hand with their fast-paced professions. Jane Craig (Holly Hunter) is a charismatic television news producer who works alongside her best friend Aaron Altman (Albert Brooks), who dreams of being a news anchor like his rival competitor Tom Grunick (William Hurt). The three soon find themselves in a typical rom-com love triangle, with Jane lusting helplessly after Tom whilst blissfully unaware that Aaron is in love with her.
The film demonstrates accurately how television news operates- it’s over the top and jokey about the mad rush to get the film to the producers in time and it’s realistic about how journalism works. It was clearly written and directed with a true vision of the profession. A lot of the film is set in the newsroom itself but despite all this, the film is simply a rom-com. Journalism is the base of the story but romance is the story.
The film is uplifting, entertaining, and an easy watch. It deals with the feelings, the sex and the relationships of the journalists, rather than issues directly concerning journalism itself. If you want to watch a cheesy, 80’s rom-com then this is the film for you. But if you’re after a serious film that tackles the deeper issues of journalism, then give this one a miss.