Preamble:
Some of you are familiar with the CBS News program "60 Minutes," upon which the 1999 movie "The Insider" is based. If you are not familiar with "60 Minutes," you might want to watch a Sunday evening episode before viewing "The Insider" and writing this assignment. One of the protagonists in "The Insider" is based on "60 Minutes" correspondent Mike Wallace.

From our class readings and discussions, you are aware that, in many respects, CBS News in the 1960's "wrote the book" of broadcast news standards and practices for the industry.

Assignment:

I. Watch the 1999 movie "The Insider."

You may

• view it on your own on DVD #181 at the Morris Library
• watch it with others in the class at 3:30pm on Monday, April 22 in room 003 of the Morris Library, or
• rent it on your own or with a group

II. In an analysis paper limited to 5 pages, discuss whether you think an incident like the one portrayed in the movie could really occur. Why or why not? What forces were at work in this story which affected the content of what the public learned from the news media as represented by "60 Minutes?" Based on your readings, especially Salant, have those forces always had that effect on news content? From your own observation, are those forces at work today in broadcast journalism?

Relate your discussion specifically to the events, practices and standards you read about in Salant, CBS, and the Battle for the Soul of Broadcast Journalism, especially Parts Three and Five, and pages 187 - 194 in Part Four.

Please don't write a movie review. I have seen the movie. I'd like you to observe and think about how the content of what the public learns about the news… is influenced by business factors, which is what this "60 Minutes" incident is all about.