Review-'Citizen McCaw':Who owns your news?
Whitney Clark
Issue date: 3/12/08 Section: Entertainment
The child pornography allegations made against former News-Press Executive Editor Jerry Roberts were not only horrifyingly personal for front-page news, but also unjustified. In a press conference in the film, Roberts called McCaw's smear campaign "false, defamatory, and malicious."
In the film Robert's wife, Linda Kiefer, was seated next to him at the conference, teary eyed and clearly distraught with what was happening to her husband.
"He will not back down from the truth," Kiefer said. "He spent his entire career in journalism fighting to get out the facts, the truth and honesty."
Images of News-Press staffers, outfitted in all black and duct-taped their mouths shut, was a powerful moment in the film that gave me the goose bumps. Reporters said that a gag order had been placed on them, forbidding them to discuss the internal affairs of the News-Press. McCaw had refuted the reporters' claim. The gesture was dramatic and effective.
As a journalist, I found "Citizen McCaw" both compelling and inspiring. Reporters have an incredible power and duty to the people to report the news fairly and without bias, and it is often easy to forget what being a journalist really means.
In a time when someone like Wendy McCaw has the ability to control the news, "Citizen McCaw" is a wake-up call, reminding the audience that in this day in age money buys power.
Walking out of the theater, the contagious spirit of the thousands of people around me seeped into my skin. I wondered, "What did everyone else make of the movie?"
I had only one question on my mind: Who owns my news?
Additional screenings of "Citizen McCaw" will take place Saturday, April 5th at 8 p.m., and Sunday, April 6th at 3 p.m., at the Marjorie Luke Theatre located at 721 E. Cota Street in Santa Barbara.
In the film Robert's wife, Linda Kiefer, was seated next to him at the conference, teary eyed and clearly distraught with what was happening to her husband.
"He will not back down from the truth," Kiefer said. "He spent his entire career in journalism fighting to get out the facts, the truth and honesty."
Images of News-Press staffers, outfitted in all black and duct-taped their mouths shut, was a powerful moment in the film that gave me the goose bumps. Reporters said that a gag order had been placed on them, forbidding them to discuss the internal affairs of the News-Press. McCaw had refuted the reporters' claim. The gesture was dramatic and effective.
As a journalist, I found "Citizen McCaw" both compelling and inspiring. Reporters have an incredible power and duty to the people to report the news fairly and without bias, and it is often easy to forget what being a journalist really means.
In a time when someone like Wendy McCaw has the ability to control the news, "Citizen McCaw" is a wake-up call, reminding the audience that in this day in age money buys power.
Walking out of the theater, the contagious spirit of the thousands of people around me seeped into my skin. I wondered, "What did everyone else make of the movie?"
I had only one question on my mind: Who owns my news?
Additional screenings of "Citizen McCaw" will take place Saturday, April 5th at 8 p.m., and Sunday, April 6th at 3 p.m., at the Marjorie Luke Theatre located at 721 E. Cota Street in Santa Barbara.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 5
DS
posted 3/12/08 @ 3:12 PM PST
This is one of the best reviews of the screening I've read so far. Well done!!
Katie
Katie
posted 3/17/08 @ 11:10 AM PST
Love this one! For further information on all of the recent lay-offs, corruption and failings of California newspaper groups check out this blog
http://reporter-g. (Continued…)
Geoff
Geoff
posted 3/18/08 @ 5:33 PM PST
Great article! It is a hot topic as more and more large corporations own larger market shares of television stations and newspapers. Good job.
Johan Brown
posted 11/24/08 @ 6:57 AM PST
I had watched this film in 2007, I don't like it such many other peoples. But in this film are some interested scenes.
ICR
posted 3/14/09 @ 3:19 PM PST
The film was outstanding. Evidently money does buy power and our New Press.
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