Aaron Sorkin is best known for his work depicting the office of the President on The West Wing. Since it’s series finale in 2006, he wrote an Oscar-winning screenplay for The Social Network, award-winning screenplay for Moneyball, and a short-lived NBC series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, among other projects. Sorkin returns to television on June 24th, writing a new series on a fictional cable news program in HBO’s The Newsroom.
From the looks of the trailer, and apparent to anyone familiar with Sorkin’s style, the series will definitely have an idealistic slant. Among discussion: presenting truth-seeking news in a media-saturated environment as opposed to chase ratings or cowing to corporate interests.
Sorkin told the New York Times: “The commoditization of news has created an environment in which we’re told that certain things are important that simply aren’t.”
We talk a lot about the mainstream media here, especially the shortcomings and failures to hold the two-party system truly accountable. Sorkin will take this on, and more, as he covers quite possibly the only profession more hated than politicians.
What are your preferred news outlets, or journalists, and why? Which network do you get your television news from? Do you plan on watching The Newsroom?
Here’s the trailer: