The Newsreader

[TV.Cynic]

@TelevisionAU

One of the biggest stories of 1987 was the huge media shakeup, and all commercial networks were impacted as were radio outlets and newspapers. I’m surprised the show, literally based in a TV station, isn’t touching on that.

@TelevisionAU

A shame that they may not be covering the media takeovers that happened that year. It was a time when all 3 Sydney and Melbourne commercial channels, and 2 in Brisbane, changed hands, plus with Murdoch taking over the HWT, and there were lots of radio takeovers etc as well. The media was making front page news almost every day during that time.

The owner of the network features prominently in this season’s early episodes and then episode 3’s big story is the global financial crisis caused by the October 87 stock market crash and the implications for media owners (without giving away the story ).

Episode 3

Sunday 24 September 8.30pm

A global crisis is escalating— the stock market is in freefall. Parallel to that, Helen (Anna Torv) is plunged into personal free-fall when the office is contacted by a gossip columnist, who is planning to print an expose about Helen’s troubled past - her teenage institutionalisation, and her subsequent estrangement from her family.

Feeling hunted, Helen knows that the one person capable of shutting down the story is the embattled CEO, Charlie Tate (Daniel Gillies).