Synopsis

Set in 1953, the film follows CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow and producer Fred Friendly as they challenge Senator Joseph McCarthy's anti-Communist campaign. After reporting on the case of Air Force lieutenant Milo Radulovich, the newsroom confronts political intimidation, corporate caution, and the risks of using television journalism to hold powerful figures accountable. The story also examines the cost of professional courage.

Factoids & Trivia

• The story centers on real events surrounding Murrow's broadcasts about Lieutenant Milo Radulovich and the Senate investigations led by Joseph McCarthy.

• Archival footage of McCarthy is integrated into the film, allowing the fictionalized newsroom scenes to interact with the actual historical figure.

• The production was designed in black and white to match the period television footage. Although color film stock was used during filming, the images were converted to monochrome during post-production.

• The film was made on a tight budget of approximately $7.5 million and was shot in about six weeks.

• George Clooney accepted one dollar each for his work as writer, director, and performer. He also mortgaged his Los Angeles home to help finance the production after an insurance issue connected to an injury complicated the financing.

• To prepare for the newsroom setting, the performers received copies of newspapers from the corresponding days in 1953. They practiced typing the stories on manual typewriters and took part in improvised newsroom conferences.

• Jazz singer Dianne Reeves performs throughout the film. Her musical interludes help divide the story into sections and evoke the structure of a 1950s television broadcast.

• The film received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Cinematography, and Art Direction.