Movie Review: Network

The character ‘Howard Beale’ played by Peter Finch put it best when he screamed at the top of his lungs “woe is us!”

The movie points out the systematic commercialization of news networks for profit. Howard Beale is a character that loses his some of his sanity on air and starts using profanity. An amused public starts tuning in which raises the ratings of the show. Instead of caring for mental health of the anchor, the network immediately goes about attempting to cash in on his new found popularity.

As time progressed, Howard Beale became a popular ‘Prophet’ of the airwaves who commented on public affairs. The Network also manipulated him into preaching the consumerist agenda. When ratings started slipping, the Network had him murdered on air with the benefit of ratings.
The Network’s management went out of the way to commercialize Howard Beale’s life and death for profit and power.

I see some of the same tendencies in our Networks in Pakistan of commercializing the news for profit and turning it into entertainment for the masses. It is most obvious with our ‘talk shows’ where anchors take delight in ridiculing attendees and instigating wars of words between them.

Regards,
Zubair Siddiqui