The film Network is a satire that highlights the issues that arose in the television industry in the 1970s. As television became more and more popular in America, it became harder for news stations to compete with the entertainment aspect of television. The news was supposed to be the conveyor of reality and the truth. But, as Howard Beale stated, "Television is not the truth...[it] is a goddamn amusement park."1 Television is a center of entertainment, and for viewers it is a means of escaping reality. For the owners of the television networks, it is just another way of making money. Only the most entertaining shows produce profits, and the news stations were not designed to entertain. The actions of the characters in Network display a harsh environment where money is the reason for everything. But the film does not only display issues in the television industry, but issues that plagued the entire country during this time period.
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But as the country progressed and the television became a regular fixture in every household, ratings became more important. Ratings determined how much money a network made, and ratings depend upon the popularity of a show. Naturally, the news networks were not the most popular shows because they were meant to inform not entertain. The film portrays a news network that has undermined its own values in order to gain higher ratings. The plot of the film is fictional, but it forces viewers to question what they see on television. From a modern view point, the film predicts the rise of reality television, which takes the lives of real people and places them in the spotlight. Although it is called reality television, it is still staged and edited, just like Beale 's
But as the country progressed and the television became a regular fixture in every household, ratings became more important. Ratings determined how much money a network made, and ratings depend upon the popularity of a show. Naturally, the news networks were not the most popular shows because they were meant to inform not entertain. The film portrays a news network that has undermined its own values in order to gain higher ratings. The plot of the film is fictional, but it forces viewers to question what they see on television. From a modern view point, the film predicts the rise of reality television, which takes the lives of real people and places them in the spotlight. Although it is called reality television, it is still staged and edited, just like Beale 's