Network and The Parallax View

Network and The Parallax View are two very different films which convey very different messages.

Network

Network is a highly exaggerated look into a failing broadcasting network (UBS), and what its higher-ups are willing to do in order to get back on top of the ratings. It begins by looking at news anchor Howard Beale. The head of the news and journalism branch of UBS, Max Schumacher, was keen on adhering to traditional journalistic values, and made every effort to do so on all UBS news programs, including Howard Beale's. Due to the failing ratings of the news division and the influence of Diana Chistensen (who was later put in charge of most of UBS' programming), Howard and Max received news that they were to be fired. Traditional journalistic values were done away with in order to bring about higher ratings. On what were to be his last shows, Howard began to rant and rave in anger. Diana sought to exploit this as people were tuning in to see Howard's ludicrousness. This progressed into a seeming endless downward spiral progressing further and further away from the values Max represented to the ruthless "Whatever Sells" attitude of Diana. Howard's ratings eventually began to fall. The film ends with Diana and her colleagues discussing what to do about these failing ratings. They conclude that the best approach is to assassinate Beale and use the footage on one of their other shows. Though a complete exaggeration, Network shows that there is more to reporting the news than journalistic values. There is a corporate ratings machine to contend with, and one must wonder, "To what extent are networks willing to compromise traditional values in order to maintain ratings?"

The Parallax View

This film tells the story of reporter Joseph Frady, and his investigation into the Parallax corporation. The evidence he has gathered indicates that this corporation is involved in a greater conspiracy to shape the outcomes of political races by seeking out individuals with aggressive tendencies to carry out assassinations. The film begins with the murder of a senator, and years later those who witnessed this murder were being picked off one by one. Joseph begins to realize that these murders, though portrayed as occurring by natural or unaided means,are being controlled by some greater force. Through his investigation, Joseph realizes that the greater force controlling these deaths is the Parallax Corporation. He then seeks out employment in this corporation in order to infiltrate their ranks to further his investigation. The movie ends with Joseph being framed and killed for the assassination of a perspective senator by the corporation he sought to undo.