'The Newsroom' got it right.. sort of

‘The Newsroom’ gets it right.. sort of

When Aaron Sorkin first devised the gobbledygook that is now known as ‘The Newsroom’, we all knew it was going to be some preachy stuff. As a fan of the West Wing, I thought, ‘okay, I can take it’.

Wrong. So bloody wrong.

Maybe it’s because the subject he’s throwing a tantrum about is something I care about greatly, but every time Will McAvoy gets on that soap box and opens his mouth, and god forbid when Mackenzie McHale opens hers, I cringe. Like, really, really cringe.

You know, I remember reading some junk from Sorkin when he first started touting the show about it being about some blahdy blah commentary on the current state of the media in the United States.

Whatever, that’s all well and good. We need some biting criticism of sorts I imagine. Things aren’t okay. Clearly.

But it wasn’t until I was plopped on my sofa last Monday morning watching the latest episode that I realize that Sorkin hit the nail on the head with his criticisms and his soap box tirades.

I just think this was a bit inadvertent. I’m not sure where y’all watching this on Sky Atlantic are at in the season, so I’ll try not to spoil anything as I attempt to summarize the scene: Will McAvoy is about to slap his John Hancock on a check written out to a tabloid reporter.

Then she makes some comment about them both being the same game – journalism that is.

Cue the soap box.

McAvoy goes on this overwrought speech about how tabloid and celebrity gossip isn’t journalism, it doesn’t tackle the important issues like the economy, the decay of the American Dream and whatever else is wrong with society today.

And that moment there – is where Sorkin actually gets it right.

Ben Bradlee, the Washington Post’s famous editor once said something to the extent of (and I’m paraphrasing here) the hardest part of the gig is balancing what the people want to know, and what they need to know. That point always seems a bit lost these days, especially when the Will McAvoy-types are delivering it.

Of course here is this appalled tabloid writer, who by the way, probably gets more hits on her website than the entire Newsnight operation does, and she just sort of acts offended (because you know, there are very few, if not any, female characters with any sort of gusto in an Aaron Sorkin production. Everyone with boobs is a step away from tears).

The point is this, there’s a lot of good journalism out there – and even in fictional Sorkin-land, Newsnight ain’t doing a bad job, the problem is this though, they’re all preaching to the godamned choir.

The Newsroom, as a show, is doing the same thing. Its message about journalism, whatever it is even supposed to be, isn’t being heard by the people who need to hear it – becuase it’s not even aimed at them.

Just like some of the best journalism being done today.

Image courtesy of Paul Keller

AKJRiseley

Totally in disagreement!As much as Sorkin might be preaching to the choir in the proportion of his audience who are aspiring journalists, that's not to say that we're the only demographic that 'The Newsroom' is reaching. Admittedly, much of the orignal buzz was amongst media types (or at least, it seemed to be from my Twitter feed) but it's naive to think that only those with a vested interest in journalism are those who are watching the show; teachers aren't the sole watchers of 'Waterloo Road', dwellers of the King's Road aren't the only 'Made in Chelsea' viewers.

I can't speak about 'The West Wing' as I haven't seen it but I certainly don't think that Sorkin's latest drama has to apologise for commenting on the state of society. Isn't that what everyone who expresses an opinion is striving to do? Particularly journalists, who write about their personal views in the hope of learning about others'?I'm not that familiar with the American media landscape but I think that the stories covered so far - especially in the latest episode, 'Bullies', where they tackly Fukushima and Rick Santorum - have been phenomenally represented, as has the process by which interviews and packages come to air in broadcast media.

Sure, parts of the programme are over-represented - Sloane Sabbath's removal of her earpiece simply wouldn't happen on national television in the same way that her digression into Japanese wouldn't - but that's not a flaw unique to 'The Newsroom' and it's part of what makes the programme a drama and not a documentary.Will McAvoy's character is unapologetically opinionated and unafraid to them, on air or otherwise. He's an arse and completely selfish, but it makes him a polarising character that you either love, or love to hate. And I'm not sure I know any 'serious' (ahem) journalists who wouldn't go off on one like he does to Nina.

As for your comment about Sorkin's female characters always being weak and emotional - and as I've said, I can't comment on West Wing ones - how about Maggie? And Mackenzie? And the crazy boss woman that wants to fire Will? I don't see them as being in any way stereotypical representations of females - they're bolshy, articulate and regualrly stand up against the men in the show. Comparatively, Will's in therapy, Jim's shown to be a commitment-phobe and Dom's a control freak - far worse characteristics to display than a little sensitivity, at least in my head.It's a drama - and a US-produced one at that - and we need to accept it as exactly that. 'The Newsroom' is never going to get everything right according to every viewer, and neither is it going to be a perfect insight into a real newsroom.

HuwLHopkins

Not aware of the show, but that was brilliant writing, might start. Really great speech, and most of it true. is gossip journalism journalism? Not in the same way hard journalism is, but as a journalist about to enter an industry with no jobs, no pay checks, should I be standing on my morals not willing to take a job if it's offered? If it happens to be gossip journalism that gets me my break should I take it?

‘The Newsroom’ gets it right.. sort of

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