With the writer's strike still going strong, the phrase "nothing's on" is becoming more prevalent in households across America. For news people who don't want a diet of reality shows, let me suggest something I discovered on a cable channel called "American Life TV Network."
The show is Lou Grant, which was a top 10 hit for CBS back in the 1970's. And while it is set in a newspaper and a bit dated, there are certain concepts that never get old. The show is one of the reasons I was bitten by the journalism bug, along with the movie All the President's Men. (A must watch for all reporters.)
Watch a few episodes and you'll get a great look at old fashioned reporting. The show's reporters, Joe Rossi and Billie Newman, do a ton of legwork and stop at nothing to get the story. Rossi is the pit bull in the china shop, while Billie is the ethical one whose heart finds its way into her stories. You'll see plenty of people you recognize from your own newsrooms, as some things never change.
The show is journalism at its core, and if you've lost your way or are just feeling jaded about the industry, check out a few episodes and revisit what made you excited about the career in the first place.
I'm sure you'll get a kick out of things like manual typewriters and push button phones, which, to be honest, worked a lot better than the phones and call waiting systems we have today. Never lost a call with those things.
Incidentally, the show was cancelled when its star, Ed Asner, was a little too outspoken politically. Pretty amazing considering you'd probably have a hard time finding a Hollywood star these days that isn't political.
And keep an eye out for the newspaper's publisher, played by Nancy Marchand. Yep, that's Tony Soprano's mom.
Bottom line, you've got some homework Wednesday nights at 9pm Eastern. Hope the show does for you what it once did for me.
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