Cinemaball 13: Broadcast News (1987)

Fifth entry to the Second Round: This week on Cinemaball, Carolyn and Ebony take a close look at James L. Brooks’ 1987 masterpiece about the collision between professional ethics and personal desires, Broadcast News. The film features Holly Hunter in a breakthrough performance as news producer Jane Craig, a woman fiercely dedicated to maintaining high ethical standards for herself and her news crew, who finds herself falling for a man who represents everything she’s been fighting against. Meanwhile, another colleague, one who shares her ethical commitment, finds his love for her unreciprocated.

Listen as we discuss the film’s ethical explorations, its simultaneously sparkling and razor-sharp wit, and the ways in which it defies romantic comedy conventions. We each offer up handpicked suggestions for cinematic pairings with this film in our segment Sommovier, and Ebony makes a stunning announcement that may change Cinemaball forever.

For more great insight into Broadcast News, read critic Carrie Rickey’s excellent essay Lines and Deadlines, written to accompany the Criterion Collection release of the film: http://www.carrierickey.com/artlcles/broadcast-news-lines-and-deadlines/

Cinemaball is presented by Feminist Frequency
Executive Produced and hosted by Carolyn Petit and Ebony Aster
Produced and edited by Sarah Nairalez
Artwork by Raye Abellar
Hosted by Simplecast
Executive Produced by Anita Sarkeesian

Includes audio clips from
The Legend of Billie Jean and Broadcast News

Music by Broke For Free

View the basic rules of Cinemaball and a history of all our episodes and ratings at http://goo.gl/ePDPuQ