Good Night and Good Luck Analysis

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The 2005 film Good Night, and Good Luck took place during the beginning of the Cold War, specifically around the time when Senator Joseph McCarthy was rising to power. During his reign as the chairman for the Committee on Government Operations of the Senate, he accused several public figures of being Communists. His speeches were frequently reported on in the media, and the determined factor for censorship during the Red Scare was based on ideology, rather than actual content. Many people unjustly accused of being Communists were persecuted and discriminated, and the Republican Party began advocating the rise of ideological conformity. A great deal of the American public became extremely paranoid, and the general atmosphere of the era was nihilistic due to fear of Communist infiltration. McCarthy successfully exploited the relevant situation in order to rise in power; he became considerably popular in the media and gained a reputation as a fear monger. Therefore, when television reporter Edward R. Murrow of See It Now gradually exposed McCarthy for his unethical use of the media, he was commonly viewed as the only one brave enough to speak out against him. The plan worked, but at a great cost. McCarthy eventually lost much of his power, but due to financial troubles with NBC, See It Now was discontinued. This situation greatly frustrated Murrow, and in 1958, he made a speech at the Radio-Television New Directors Association, where he ordered news and all other broadcasting networks to live up to their potential. He urged network executives to not sacrifice honesty and journalistic integrity for the sake of commercial success. The film also holds significant relevance today for many reasons. For example, the current political era is highly divisive in nature, as both Democrats and Republicans have grown increasingly hostile with one another, in a similar manner as
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