NEWS AT 11

US, 1986, 95 minutes, Colour.
Martin Sheen, Peter Reigert, Barbara Babcock, Sydney Penny.
Directed by Mike Robe.

News at 11 is a worthwhile telemovie about the role of the media, especially the news service, the roles of reporters in giving information, entertainment, the right to privacy and information. Martin Sheen portrays an anchorman who has fallen on bad times but has the opportunity to make the headlines in San Diego. Peter Reigert is the news manager, an unscrupulous manager who takes every opportunity to make his television station a winner. Their values clash. The focus of the story is a teacher who is arrested for sexual molestation of his students. The main witness is a girl who has had psychiatric care. There are some twists in the plot which test audience sympathies as well as their attitudes towards believing witnesses.

There is a background plot involving Sheen with Barbara Babcock as the local district attorney as well as with his daughter, played by Sidney Penny.

The film raises a great number of questions in an interesting and involving way.

1. Interesting telemovie, plot and characters, message: media, privacy, justice, the law?

2. The San Diego settings, suburban homes, the police headquarters, the studios? The musical score?

3. The title and its focus on television news, information, entertainment, investigations, journalists and their ethics, ratings?

4. The moral issues: television and the reporting of news, information, the right of the public to know, the right to privacy, right to reputation, innocence and guilt, guilt by association?

5. The studio heads and their ruthlessness for ratings, unscrupulous behaviour, lies, getting advantages, getting scoops, playing people against each other, allegations of depth inquiries as a cover for exploitation, exploiting situations and emotions?

6. Frank, his background in New York, transfer to San Diego, the boss and giving him the job, his assistant and her apprenticeship, training and his coaching her? His lifestyle, wife and daughter in San Diego, separated, the weekends with his daughter and her friends, preparing breakfast, having to go to the studio? The clashes with his boss, decisions having to be made about what to present and not, his being caught in awkward situations and unable to tell family the truth?

7. The play practice, the arrest of the teacher, the girls and their puzzle? Their chatting, Frank getting the information, his remarks, the boss hearing it, acting on it? Sending news coverage? Frank and his ringing the district attorney, her asking for silence? The station pressure on him? The antagonism with his boss and in public?

8. The teacher, innocent until proven guilty, the arrest, the girl's reaction and sympathy? Getting out on bail, the charges? The growing number of charges? The parents and the girl? The naming of names? Frank and the investigation, visiting him at home, his protesting his innocence and requesting interviews with his wife? The victim and her hysteria? Her naming other girls, April? The revelation on television about the art photos, sexual behaviour? His being guilty? The selling of the photos?

9. Frank's daughter, having the information, not knowing the truth, the girls at the dance and the speculation - but the reporters fuelling the questions? April, her friendship with his daughter? Her being named, the interview - the cover-up but her identity clear? The pressure on her, her telling the truth on the television, her mother and the reaction, Frank and his visit, his daughter's hostility? April becoming suicidal, her attempt on her life? Hospital? The information given on the television? Responsibility?

10. The family of the molested girl, the girl herself, her experience of counselling and the melodramatics accusing others? Her jealousy as regards the play? The set-up of the interview with Frank, the boss and his manipulations? The information given, the names named and Frank's reaction?

11. The studio head and his putting the producer on the line? The producer and his efficiency, family, on the yacht with Frank and his family? Yet scheming, pushing, arranging for Frank's assistant to interview the girl outside the school? Shouting him out? Listening in to the phone calls from the DA? The pressure on the editing? The DA and Frank and their final trick on the phone and his humiliating himself in public (and being interviewed by a rival TV station at the end)?

12. Frank and his daughter, wife, future? His final talking on air and his ethical stance?

13. An involving story, emotional involvement, material to think over, raising media issues?