The most honest three and a half minutes of television, EVER...

[DeSwiss]

Published on Jun 26, 2012 by James Bouder

Beginning scene of the new HBO series The Newsroom explaining why America's Not the Greatest Country Any Longer... But It Can Be.

- Although I haven't seen this new program ''The Newsroom'' (I stopped watching teevee in 2001), I nonetheless heard and read many critics, reporters and news organizations trashing this new series on HBO. Now I see why -- it exposes the media for what they are: Infotainment outlets......

[CurtEastPoint]

1. He just nailed it, didn't he? I like this show...

[Remember]

35. Finally!

Someone put it in terms to those who don't understand why I am pissed off. My wife saw this and the light bulb came on. Now what we do from here matters. How do we get a movement going to change America? The OWS is one but with the new laws we better get moving before it's too late.
Sidebar- Kay Hagan and her staff would not address me on NDAA. See what I mean.

[RedStateLiberal]

2. It's a really good show

The Newsroom should be required viewing for everyone in our pathetic tv news media.

[Neoma]

3. Too bad I don't have cable.

[Ninga]

4. You picked a good clip. Mostly folks are critical, bored, or don't get it.

The episodes are fraught with the kind of stress that reaches out through the TeeVee screen and grabs you. So all in all, I think the back story of how so called news programs get crafted is well done. I like it.

[bakpakr]

5. WOW

He NAILED it. I wish I got HBO so I could watch it.

Wonder what would happen if one of the current politicians would come out and say the same thing in real life?

[silverweb]

6. Wow!

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]Too bad it's HBO instead of CBS or Fox. Then again, the complacent population that watches HBO may be exactly the people who need to see this most.

I'll have to rely on clips and things until it becomes available on Netflix or some other internet-accessible venue. On the other hand, I don't need to be convinced.

[tclambert]

14. Okay, that's funny, suggesting this show could be on Fox.

Imagine the reaction of the executives over there. I can hear Rupert Murdoch spinning in his grave! What? You say Rupert isn't dead yet? Are you sure?

[silverweb]

27. Not the same as Fox news.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]Fox News is part of the Fox Broadcasting Company, but the news channel and the entertainment channels are managed very differently. (See this link for a full listing of the Fox group's holdings; you have to scroll down to the bottom).

The regular Fox entertainment channel on broadcast TV airs a lot of the most popular TV shows that Middle America watches, including Glee.

That's why I wish "The Newsroom" aired on Fox instead of expensive, cable-only HBO.

[Mist]

7. Didn't even know about this new HBO offering. Will have to check it out. And kudos

to Jeff Daniels for delivering that speech as well as he did. We really do need to get over the myth of "the greatest." It was true back in the '50s and '60s, but not since then, I think.

[alstephenson]

8. I have it TIVO'd.

Will watch the first two episodes this weekend.

[Gregorian]

9. Is that me?

I've given that speech before. I got the same response. And nothing change. But it sure felt good. I like the truth.

If this is on tv, I have to give a huge applaud for those making this show. Bravo!

[april]

10. So real and raw ..just they way most of us feel...great show

[riverbendviewgal]

11. I love the show.

Reminds me of the beginnings of CNN...truly was a good network, until Ted Turner sold it...

The third episode has his ex in a role of the owner... I love her. Jane Fonda...My late husband said I looked like her and my bubba brother absolutely hates her. but then he is a racist and hates Obama. We no longer talk.

I hope the new show is a hit. and yes critics did trash it but somehow I think it is because it is so true and the corporate higher ups said to. Watch it if you can.

[pa28]

12. I read a few reviews and I see what you mean.

One of them was OUTRAGED about the show's open attacks on anything or anybody to the right of center . . . like Sarah Palin, Allan West, the Koch brothers or Fox News.

You know. Just a little bit right of center.



I think Aaron Sorkin hit a nerve here.

[SCVDem]

13. If you liked The West Wing

The Newsroom has the same rythm and long winded speeches. It has to be on HBO for the language. First time I heard Watterson say fuck I knew this wasn't L&O any more.

People don't like to think and this show goes over their Foxed up heads.

Me? I like it.

[usregimechange]

15. That's the kind of truth that take real courage and real patriotism.

[liberal from boston]

16. HBO Series "The Newsroom"

Love, love this program!!! Jeff Daniels is great as is the rest of the cast. Also, how current news stories are included in the story line & makes it so interesting. Looking forward to Sunday's episode. Recently read that HBO is going to renew The Newsroom.

[Beartracks]

18. Renewed it after only 3 episodes, I think. n/t

[dixiegrrrrl]

33. Yes!!!!!! already renewed.

a bright light in tv programming.
Sorkin is back!!!

[rateyes]

17. Damn straight!

[geckosfeet]

19. Good stuff. Very good stuff. Excellent stuff. Thanks for the post.

Almost makes me want to turn on HBO.

Almost.

Maybe I will catch an episode on Hulu.

[ejbr]

20. ...and there you have it n/t

[Blue_In_AK]

21. That was a good clip,

but I really wasn't terribly impressed with the show after the pilot. I'll see how I feel after the second week.

[Dustlawyer]

22. K&R. It's starting.... Keep this kind of shite going!

[RufusTFirefly]

23. Will it make a difference? Or is it mere titillation for free-thinking couch potatoes?

Pardon my cynicism (trust me, it's been a long time coming), but I remember being proselytized by well-intentioned friends who were sold on Advertising Age's 2008 Marketer of the Year.

Don't get me wrong: I'm somewhat sympathetic at least. In the past I've been known to evangelize for a certain left-of-center feature filmmaker simply because it was just so liberating to finally see something up on the screen that actually came close to my ideals for a change.

But the very fact that a clip like the one above is considered controversial or ground-breaking should tell you something rather pathetic about television in particular and about the state of the nation in general.

Ultimately, these shows are not about making the country better or even about telling the truth. They're about marketing.

Controversy! That's a good dollar!

[Make7]

24. The entire first episode is available on HBO's YouTube channel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U4ZhFDFYvE (YouTube/Google account login required)

[elzenmahn]

25. Nicole Sandler had this clip on...

...when she subbed for Randi Rhodes a few days ago.

I can see certain media professionals getting itchy behinds over the truth that the speaker is telling. It reminds me of the Howard Beale scene from "Network", where he's confronting the audience with lines like "television is a God-damned amusement park." He's merely saying what those professionals (and those of us with our heads out of the sand) know full well.

[Scootaloo]

26. Could have done without the "heartfelt" piano cueing in the second part of it

I fucking hate that goddamned piano.

[OverseaVisitor]

28. Sad

So true

[PCIntern]

29. K n r...nt

[Bluenorthwest]

30. Excellent show, Sorkin's best and it is only going to get better

Every element is outstanding.

[demgrrrll]

31. I just saw the trailer for the upcoming show something about how can you get people to vote for

people who are going to take away their social security??

[benld74]

32. Amen to that! AMEN to that!

[ailsagirl]

34. Thank you for posting

I saw this clip on one of the MSNBC shows and was blown away-- now I can spread it around to others.

[dembotoz]

36. k and r

kind of interesting when you k and r something that says

we really suck
we really suck