Network (film)

Network is a 1976 American satirical film written by Paddy Chayefsky and directed by Sidney Lumet, about a fictional television network, UBS, and its struggle with poor ratings. The film stars Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch, and Robert Duvall and features Wesley Addy, Ned Beatty, and Beatrice Straight.

Howard Beale, the longtime anchor of the Union Broadcasting Systems UBS Evening News, learns from the news division president, Max Schumacher, that he has just two more weeks on the air because of declining ratings. The two old friends get roaring drunk and lament the state of their industry. The following night, Beale announces on live television that he will commit suicide on next Tuesdays broadcast. UBS fires him after this incident, but Schumacher intervenes so that Beale can have a dignified farewell. Beale promises he will apologize for his outburst, but once on the air, he launches back into a rant claiming that life is bullshit. Beales outburst causes the newscasts ratings to spike, and much to Schumachers dismay, the upper echelons of UBS decide to exploit Beales antics rather than pull him off the air. In one impassioned diatribe, Beale galvanizes the nation, persuading his viewers to shout out of their windows Im as mad as hell, and Im not going to take this anymoreDiana Christensen heads the networks programming department seeking just one hit show, she cuts a deal with a band of radical terrorists a parody of the Symbionese Liberation Army called the Ecumenical Liberation Army for a new docudrama series called The Mao TseTung Hour for the upcoming fall season. When Beales ratings seem to have topped out, Christensen approaches Schumacher and offers to help him develop the news show. He says no to the professional offer, but not to the personal one, and the two begin an affair. When Schumacher decides to end the Howard as the Angry Man format, Christensen convinces her boss, Frank Hackett, to slot the evening news show under the entertainment division so she can develop it. Hackett agrees, bullies the UBS executives to consent, and fires Schumacher at the same time. Soon afterward, Beale is hosting a new program called The Howard Beale Show, topbilled as the mad prophet of the airwaves. Ultimately, the show becomes the most highly rated program on telev

Source: Wikipedia