The Investigative Reporter By uncovering the Watergate scandal and bringing down a president, Woodward and Bernstein made journalistic history. In All The President’s Men (1976), the Washington Post duo reminds us that being a journalist is about more than making the front page — it’s a job that allows you to raises ethical questions.
The Aging Icon Over-the-hill evening news anchor Howard Beale’s on-air outburst in Network (1976) ignites a firestorm that extends far beyond his nightly slot on UBS. A victim of declining ratings, Beale uses his last two weeks of airtime as a forum for his complaints on his increasingly pathetic life, transforming his imminent failure into an unlikely ratings hit.
The Plagiarist Penn alum Stephen Glass first made a name for himself as a promising young writer and then quickly became known as the industry cheater. Shattered Glass (2003) shows the downfall of the New Republic reporter — from his dramatic and widely-read cover features to fellow Penn alum Buzz Bissinger's Vanity Fair article that exposed him.
The Media Mogul Citizen Kane (1941) follows the journalistic investigation of the life of a newspaper tycoon, making this one an industry classic. We witness the rise and fall of Charles Foster Kane — based on media magnate William Randolph Hearst — and in the process learn about the heyday of yellow journalism, the rise of the penny press and the birth of radio.
The Broadcast Journalist In the world of television news, sometimes good looks count as much as raw talent. Well, at least they do for Tom Grunick in Broadcast News (1987). Grunick clashes with the network’s veteran reporter over stories, camera time and a girl, making actually covering his stories the least of his worries.
The Tabloid Editor The Paper (1994) covers a hectic 24 hours in the life of a New York tabloid. Conflicts arise between the city editor, the managing editor and the executive editor as a murder story breaks. The film succeeds in portraying journalists who will do anything to meet a deadline. We respect that.
The Cosmo Columnist How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) brings the catty nature of women’s magazines to a whole new level when Andie Anderson is assigned to write her column on “how to” date and ditch in less than two weeks. Our leading lady proves that mixing assignments and real life is never a good idea — let this be a lesson to all.
