Because 2016 cares not for subtlety, this month marks the 40th anniversary of “Network.” Since its release in November 1976 to wide praise and an eventual heap of Oscars, director Sidney Lumet and writer Paddy Chayefsky’s excoriation of the exponentially money-driven, bottom-feeding tendencies of television news has only grown in renown, as each angry pundit updates the film’s library of prophecies about The State of Television Today.
With the ascent of an actual reality TV star to the U.S. Presidency following a broadcast news cycle that worked for everything but a dedication to public interest, it would seem that this depressing political season has reached the logical end of the film’s apocalyptic forecast, landing on a reality too absurd for even “Network” to dramatize: Howard Beale as President. However, as we reflect on what’s gone wrong with contemporary news media and political culture, it’s important to...
With the ascent of an actual reality TV star to the U.S. Presidency following a broadcast news cycle that worked for everything but a dedication to public interest, it would seem that this depressing political season has reached the logical end of the film’s apocalyptic forecast, landing on a reality too absurd for even “Network” to dramatize: Howard Beale as President. However, as we reflect on what’s gone wrong with contemporary news media and political culture, it’s important to...
- 12/2/2016
- by Landon Palmer
- Indiewire
These are hard times for everyone’s favorite extreme right wing racist and conspiracy theory nutcase Glenn Beck. By the way, you understand that it’s all a big phony act modeled after Morton Downey Jr. (remember him?) and Wally George (who Nobody remembers) designed to pull in viewers. Beck has literally said so repeatedly himself.
He just can’t help it if millions of people terrified of the “dark skinned hordes” take him seriously. Or as he has said: “I could give a flying crap about the political process, We’re an entertainment company.”
However those millions are rapidly shrinking. The ratings for his Fox show have dropped, since the beginning of the year, by over 30%. And there’s been speculation in the trades for the past few weeks that Fox will kick him to the curb once his contract has expired at the end of this year.
But...
He just can’t help it if millions of people terrified of the “dark skinned hordes” take him seriously. Or as he has said: “I could give a flying crap about the political process, We’re an entertainment company.”
However those millions are rapidly shrinking. The ratings for his Fox show have dropped, since the beginning of the year, by over 30%. And there’s been speculation in the trades for the past few weeks that Fox will kick him to the curb once his contract has expired at the end of this year.
But...
- 3/23/2011
- by Sergio
- ShadowAndAct
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