The Dramatics of Journalism in Hollywood
Anyone who watches Hollywood films might be inclined to know that what is depicted on screen isn’t necessarily what happens in real life. “Normal” people don’t have superpowers nor will they always win the lottery and become successful business people overnight. In some ways, journalism is the same. The profession of investigating, writing, and publishing the truth has created a trope of good doers whose only mission is to put the correct story on the front page of the newspaper.
While this may not be far from the truth to real life journalists, Hollywood romanticizes journalistic integrity because they portray journalists as heroes who would rather tell a story than being credited for being the first to uncover the truth. Films tend to have exciting plots filled with action and adventure, and make it seem like everyday journalists always get caught up in cover-ups. This leaves an impression on audiences, whether or not they know Hollywood’s ability to make a lasting impact and make everyday jobs seems more dramatic than they really are.
Journalists in Hollywood films look like the Superman type without the hidden identity. Their day life consists of their job as a reporter, whether it means writing, editing, or trying to pitch a story, but their “alter ego” (for a lack of a better term) comes to play when films present a problem that needs to be fixed. In the case of The Paper directed by Ron Howard, Henry Hackett is a normal everyday man balancing his work life and his personal life to the best of his capability. When he realizes that two black men are falsely accused of a murder, he does everything in his power to rewrite the narrative that the newspaper company he writes for is trying to publish and goes to great lengths to stop the story from being published.
Howard presents Hackett as the unsung hero of the everyday man; Hackett attempts to balance welcoming a new child into the world while simultaneously working to do the right thing by telling the true version of the story. Hollywood tends to reach out to the everyday audience and find a connection that entices them to watch these types of films, which may emphasize the impact it has on the audience.
Hollywood already has a reputation for making everything seem larger than life. What connects themes and motifs to audiences are the silver linings found between every plot hole and obvious motives. Audiences are quick to catch the true intentions of movie journalists and what their ultimate goal is. Hollywood makes journalists seem like unsung heroes that are meant to connect with the everyday man who watches these movies, creating a lasting impression on audiences who turn off the television or walk out of the cinema.
But there are elements in Hollywood films that entice audiences to continue watching. Journalists are portrayed to be masters of manipulation and seduction, doing whatever it takes to get information from a third party source. It reads almost like a spy movie, where the journalists pretend to be an onlooker or a member of a Ponzi scheme in order to get the information they need to write a story. There is an element of mischievous attitudes and breaking boundaries that make the journalism profession seem more dangerous than it might really be.
Additionally, Hollywood adds a nearly unhealthy amount of competition between newspaper companies and other journalists for who can tell the right story first. The struggle of power and control, whether it be between men and women in the workforce, multiple journalists vying for the title of “first to publish,” or newspaper companies trying to silence the voice of the oppressed, is almost always apparent. It creates an interesting plot and depicts real life situations where telling the truth, while important, may not always be everyone’s intention.
While Hollywood has a grandiose take on journalism and presents journalists as bold, daring, and manipulating, there are fundamental truths to the profession that makes it interesting to watch. As audience members, we love the thrill of the chase and not knowing what comes next, as well as the drama of power struggles and doing the right thing, even if it isn’t the popular opinion.