Network

I think that in 2011, it is a perfect time to watch a film like Network. Our current socioeconomic conditions are fairly similar to the 1970’s (gas prices, the middle east, recession, loss of trust in the govt) and our broadcast journalism has only gotten worse since the advent of 24-hour cable news. Every media message is constructed, now more than ever. Every TV journalist has an angle, whether it’s an agenda, ratings, visibility, etc. In the 70’s TV was still new, so it was easier for the people in the film to have an idea of the effect that television was having on people (a negative one, in the screenwriters opinion). Today, TV is so interwoven into all aspects of society that we are almost too far in the forest to see the trees. It’s hard for us to have any perspective on a life without TV, or the pacification of the public that has taken place because of our TV obsession. I think if this film was made today the famous line would be “I’m mad, but ill keep taking it so long as the office and sportscenter are on when I’m bored!”…or something like that.