Summary
This is a behind the scenes look at the Howard Beale show from the movie Network directed by Sydney Lumet. The employees all seem indifferent and going through the motions. The station has been getting bad ratings and Howard Beale’s announcement that he’s going to commit suicide on the air gives the station a big boost in ratings.
Analysis
The people behind the scenes producing this show is how our society is today:
- bored
- overstimulated (as represented by the many monitors)
- distracted -- It takes something sensational and violent like suicide to get people’s attention
This scene also shows the transition from news to sensationalism in how Howard Beales’ falling ratings get a big boost when he announces his suicide on live television. Even today anything that’s lurid or controversial goes into a 24 hour cycle where everything else is ignored for the sake of that 1 news item. These events play on every channel until the next big news--big ratings draw-- replaces it (The cops shot in Dallas and Baton Rouge, black men killed by cops in routine traffic stops, OJ, etc.).
Pre-suicide Howard Beale (here played by Peter Finch) represents traditional straight-down-the-line news. After he announces his suicide on the air, he is “born again” and transformed into the spokesman for society’s popular rage (Donald Trump) and the champion of the individual.
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