10 Greatest Films About Journalism
3. Network (1976)
Network is one of cinema's all time great satires. The politics of network programming are dismantled and critiqued with outrageous consequences in Sidney Lumet's timeless newsroom classic.
After being relieved of his duties for declining ratings, news anchor Howard Beale declares that he will commit suicide on his final network broadcast. Rather than take the appropriate and morally correct steps to help the mentally unstable anchorman, the network instead sense an opportunity and decide to exploit Beale to increase ratings.
As the instigator of the network's unprincipled strategy, Faye Dunaway's Diana was purposely presented as a cold and unsympathetic personality, who prioritised ratings over compassion and journalistic integrity. The Howard Beale Show eventually becomes the most popular show on television, in spite of the blatant abuse of the host's mental fragility.
"I don't think I'll listen to any protestations of high standards of journalism when you're right down on the streets soliciting audiences like the rest of us. Look, all I'm saying is if you're going to hustle, at least do it right" - Diana Christensen
Featuring an all star cast of Hollywood legends including Peter Finch, William Holden and Robert Duvall, Network was a huge critical success. Recognised today as one of the greatest screenplays of all time, the film would receive ten Oscar nominiations, winning four in total.