The pilot of The Newsroom highlighted some very present viewpoints surrounding newscasters and journalism.  Will McAvoy publicly expresses his discontent with the way society and America currently is in his opening speech that he reluctantly makes.  He remembers a time when we weren’t afraid to report the news and when we paid attention when the news came on and that reporters took pride in their reporting.  We believed the news anchor because we didn’t have to worry about “fake news.”

As the episode unfolds it becomes clear that Will has not been a great boss to his employees because most of them are prepared to leave and go work for another news station.  After giving his big speech he goes on vacation and there are changes within the office, including his old flame who has returned and is now taking the role of his Executive Producer.  Will seems to me like a tough person who grew bitter over the years maybe because he still has feelings for Mackenzie.  I think the speech he gave and when he said, “America is not the greatest country” that he was speaking the truth and from the heart.  That maybe things aren’t as great as they used to be and that there was a time when we took pride in what we did as a country (in his case reporting the news).  The entire episode focused on his effect on those around him and we caught a glimpse of a man who used to inspire and a crew who used to believe in him but grew tired of being treated poorly.  I am thinking that when Mackenzie left, that things went downhill.  She seems to balance him out and guide him into being the person that people look up to and a version of himself that he is proud of.  This episode was meant to show us ‘how far we have fallen’ and to helps us to remember that fast and convenient is not always better.   

As stated in our book, Understanding Media, ‘the internet has generally replaced TV and Radio as the source of immediate information.  Live streams, blogs, and Twitter as well as other outlets make sure that news circulates within minutes of occurrence.  With this continuous cycle of news, I wonder how and if we actually follow up on what is being reported to see what unfolds?  There is no one to filter it and interpret if it is actually “news-worthy.”  I do think that we have to be conscious news and media consumers and do our own research, but I also think that there are so many “headlines” that our heads are spinning! 

Newspapers, television, and radio are struggling to compete with free access to immediate coverage.  “Newsrooms are asking their staffs to focus on producing first accounts more quickly in order to feed multiple platforms,”  (Understanding Media) which means more resources are spent distributing it rather than gathering information.  This means that some stories may get reported on excessively; other stories go unnoticed while facts go unchecked.  Journalist Patricia Sullivan states, “Right now almost no online news sites invest in original, in-depth and scrupulously edited news-reporting.”  (Understanding Media) In order to investigate stories, it takes time and research.  How can we be certain we are getting the full story if we expect the full report right away?  I appreciated the way the team in The Newsroom worked together to get their information from several sources and checked to make certain they were credible before reporting. 

Question:  What online apps do you use to get your news?  When was the last time you watched the news on television?

Works Cited:

HBO, The Newsroom:  We Just decided To

Understanding Media and Culture:  An Introduction to Mass Media, Chapter 14 Ethics of Mass Media

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