The Newsroom S01 E04 | Spreading Lies

[@handsomeman-child8751]

I would love a primetime news special that's just the crew fact-checking every other station's news reports from the day before.

[@t8steve]

In Australia, we have a show called Media Watch, which does exactly this. The show even fact checks its own network.

[@mrmaster9801]

​@@t8steve really? I'm curious about it. Is it a popular one? Who checks their checks on them? And, most importantly, has it improved the quality of the news world there in Australia?

[@Oddricm]

@@mrmaster9801 In order: as much as a news show about news fact checks can be. Themselves, sometimes. And Australia still suffers from news monopolies from Murdoch, so arguable. It's run by our state-funded news channel.

[@jerryoxley1827]

I would watch that program every day.

[@forrestrush4720]

There is. The Daily Show or at least that's what Jon Stewart always did.

[@sstaners1234]

“I think people who willfully, purposely, and gleefully lie to the American people, in order to damage someone else’s reputation should, like a registered sex offender, be required, by law, to come with that warning label for the rest of their lives.” Amen brother, amen.

[@oddish4352]

I'll settle for charging them with perjury, throwing them in jail, and finding a deputy sheriff with very large fingers to do the cavity search.

[@bluekitty3731]

That's gonna be a loving list!

[@oddish4352]

@@bluekitty3731 I think you wrote "LOOOOOONG", and the autocorrect got you. 😜

[@andrewking702]

That would include all the presidents, especially Obama.

[@MikMoen]

34 Warships? That's not a visit it's an invasion.

[@Rheubie]

Several, actually. A carrier strike group is only about 9 ships.

[@RoonMian]

IIRC my country's (the German) navy doesn't even have 30 warships in total. >_>

[@TimoRutanen]

At the India customs: 'Name?' - Barack Obama 'Occupation?' - No, just visiting

[@wildhunt6350]

Welcome to USA understanding of a "trip".

[@yokie52]

"...who herself (congresswoman Bachman) has a difficult relationship with reality..." God, can that man write...

[@lukeswan7776]

Welcome to 2021 its the whole GOP now!

[@Kinjamaimai]

It is a very sad day for the US News media when a DRAMA SHOW has to correct you.

[@chloemcdermott3293]

I'm a student journalist in Scotland and my lecturer told me to look into this shows opening clip and now I keep watching clips on KZbin. Damm I think I'm going to end up hooked

[@cvgurau]

"Four .... uh, forty airplanes" you literally see rush limbaugh staring into the camera as he thinks "mmm four's not enough. four sounds reasonable. go big or go home, you beautiful train wreck of a human being"

[@Karma-qt4ji]

2020: "the coronavirus is ..is the common cold, folks..."

[@cvgurau]

@reelkena i don’t believe in hell, so the only comfort i get from this is knowing he won’t be around anymore to pollute the air with his breathing, and the airwaves with his toxic thoughts. the fact that he existed at all is an indictment of us all. good fucking riddance.

[@runnerboy6886]

@@cvgurau thankfully, he is gone now. Rest in hell Limbaugh.

[@Karma-qt4ji]

@@runnerboy6886 He died from "complications of his lung cancer". I'm not sure what is more ironic, the fact that he had lung cancer after he years of denying that smoking was bad for you, or the potential that the "complications" were from, I don't know, perhaps a virus that he considered to be fake and non-deadly? I would be very interested to see what a coroner would have found.

[@timothyscanlon5156]

One of the best scenes in the history of the media.

[@Feeshermon]

+Timothy Scanlon But it's a TV Show.... Not the media.

[@roder51]

+F Lanham A t.V. show that has more truth than American media reality.

[@zachh3582]

back when we worried about the Tea party. Famous line. What happens when the other shoe drops. No one thought it'd be socialism. But we have AOC SO good enough

[@roamingwolfpack]

This is a show that needs to be brought back for the current happenings in the world!

[@GigiGigiK]

That label requirement is the best idea I have ever heard of.We could require it to appear in print on every written or televised newscast and audiocasts.We could pass a law requiring fact checks to air right under their photo appearance and for politicians to wear neck bands with viewable warning labels reciting the words "liar," "stock owner" or "ALEC member." They should be required to wear tee shirts with all their corporate sponsors listed on the shirt and on their website and stationary.

[@etsells44]

Not sure if we even have manufacturing techniques that can print logos on shirts that small. It'd be the only way to fit every special interest who's ever bribed them onto one article of clothing.

[@acetorres8787]

Depends who are the fact checkers. The problem they don’t call out the democrats lies on this show

[@Isaic02]

@@acetorres8787 During this period of time, the period the show represents, the amount and level of lies was vastly disproportionate, with Republicans almost covering the board.

[@acetorres8787]

@@Isaic02 please both sides lie equally

[@Isaic02]

​@@acetorres8787 You shouldn't trust the words of either party, but that has been shown to be false by many sources and at many different times.

[@andrewpierce1588]

Ahhhh, back when the Tea Party was the craziest part of the GOP.

[@DieHarder4ever]

Who were individuals that wanted fiscal responsibility and lower taxes so their wallets and bank accounts could be full. Right. Soooooo crazy.

[@PR--un4ub]

@@DieHarder4ever Nice attempt at historical revisionism. Go protest at a soldier's funeral.

[@roc7880]

I know Tea party members. they still got the vaccine. now MAGA is a cult not a movement

[@matthewdunham1689]

The GOP has always been greedy and insane. They just use to be better hiding it.

[@jerry85g7]

They took over.

[@alunmurison7421]

Best show I have seen on American TV, I wish they would update to today’s mess.

[@Buasop]

That's not possible. We're in uncharted territory.

[@ParodyOfHumanity]

The biggest thing that sticks out to me after reading these comments is the immature rational that is on display. "Yes I know the people that I agree with lied but the side that I don't agree with lied as well so we should excuse the side that I agree with because they both lied." This isn't a winning formula for anyone what we should do is come together to fight a common enemy (the lies) and criticize BOTH sides for not telling the truth. Let's hold the fuckers to their word and let an intellectual Hunger Games happen. Our country will be better for it.

[@meadmaker4525]

*rationale

[@chippenoberg4800]

wasn't that the premise of jon stewart's daily show?

[@vyctordraco948]

I agree we should hold ALL of the lying pieces of shit accountable for being liars. I however will never assist or come together with someone from the current left. Over the last few years you have proven to at the very least to be actively working to end our country and at worst are my sworn a bitter enemy. I will be treating the left as such until I have seen the last of the pink haired, bathroom debating, child grooming pieces of shit thrown on the proverbial pyre.

[@drdrums1]

Never count on a man to believe the truth when his paycheck depends on him believing the lie.

[@roder51]

And that's an American truth in less than 3 minutes. It's not prayer America needs. It's education

[@khymaaren]

It's amazing how well this works. You can spread misinformation and lies because the poor public education system doesn't teach the people well enough to spot them.

[@epicpieho]

The upcoming election would of outright fucking broken the political logic of this program lol.

[@vexxama]

The Violence Has Welcomed would've made a hell of a season though right?

[@haikunick]

I instantly wanted to share this brilliant segment after seeing it. Thanks for doing so.

[@avgStan1234]

The irony here is that this fictitious TV News show resembles reality far more today, than when it was made. This is SAD!

[@roc7880]

how about now? Fox News looks sane compared to Newsmax or OneAmerica

[@dragonflames0005]

funny.... in 2010 the dollar was almost 40rs... so i am guessing some one said 200 million rupees and not dollars....

[@bobbyaldol]

Yep thats what actually happened, this was reported in the Indian news at the time btw.

[@ursyedis]

Actually there is a dollar symbol in the article rather than rupee symbol

[@forgottenfamily]

​@@ursyedis The point is that a very small mistake can easily explain what happened - in this case, the figure should have been in rupees but was reported as a USD figure.

[@chippenoberg4800]

interesting!

[@asdf12341355]

Fuck. 40 rupees. Seriously? And now we are about to touch 80. Goddamn did people fuck up.

[@matthewhurst6099]

Just had an argument with my father re the sky lies network today. He refuses to watch anything else. Asks why i pull apart their stories all the time. Cause they are bull shit is the answer.

[@TheStewieOne]

As a man once said. "There's a sucker born ever minutes."

[@breawortman7962]

+TheStewieOne And you can find most of them at the Republican convention!

[@shortmotions]

PT Barnum said it btw

[@jb111082]

@TheStewieOne.....That would be P.T. Barnum

[@ManlyStump]

@@jb111082 There's no evidence he actually said it though, it's just traditionally attributed to him.

[@asunrise1797]

We need this now!!!

[@kushagrabhardwaj1]

NDTV Making India proud Since 2010 XD

[@jackhoff1047]

kushagra bhardwaj now say that again after 2017 and them revealing the location of a secret indian military bunker with hunderds of too ranking soldiers and generals.

[@bobbyaldol]

NDTV, Hindu and The Caravan are the only news sources from India that I trust.

[@shahnawazansari119]

Its 200 million Rs..

[@ajinkyajay]

I hope you got it that they have actually trolled NDTV for spreading lies here. Now watch it again.

[@kushagrabhardwaj1]

@@ajinkyajay 😂😂😂 India is devoid of Two Things Oil and Basic Understanding of Sarcasm 🤒🤒🤒

[@OneBlade24]

We need this show to come back and cover what's going on with the Trump administration.

[@JnEricsonx]

I don't think they could keep up.

[@countrymusic30]

We needed this show (or a similar one) during the Clinton Administration.

[@DavidLinn]

let's do it better. start a news network that actually works like the newsroom

[@Karma-qt4ji]

Right now, in the middle of the coronavirus, I am glad that it hasn't come back. It would only add insult to an already overwhelming injury for the people who have lost loved ones...

[@WA_S_S_AW]

Karma How do you figure that? Trump’s lies about Covid cancels their death and drives an iron stake through the families hearts. Trump considers those that have died nobodys.

[@RiddhiVines]

The article probably mixed up dollar and rupees. In 2010, price of dollar in rupees was 44. So then, 200 million rupees is actually around 5 million dollars.

[@vinitsisle3466]

Idk why tf every Indian here talking about that mixed up... It's not... It's sure shot in dollar figure... Haven't you heard...

[@RiddhiVines]

Vinit Sisle it wasn’t. You should read the article and then talk.

[@AndresFelipeVilaroBarrios]

"has a difficult relationship with reality".... best line ever

[@montecristo1845]

When fictional news (movie/TV show journalism) does a better job than the actual news.

[@alexad8817]

Still relevant. This show was way ahead of its time

[@jijithattil1548]

Just checked NDTV website. It is still up and Dr. Prannoy Roy has not apologised for the damage to Indian economy on account of his news channel running with a "notional loss". He is as guilty as the Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai for accusing then administration. Media had it out for both leaders and their countries suffered.

[@lucasharvey8990]

Thanks for the video!

[@jcyf94]

“Education is the silver bullet” happened about 10 years prior to this.

[@bharatk.n.v6210]

It was probably 200 million rupees. There's a big difference between dollars and rupees.

[@BBQBeerKars]

+Bharat KNV nope! the Ndtv article clearly states $200M.

[@andyt2k]

The article does, but the guy they "quoted" could have said or meant rupees

[@resurrectionist1]

@@BBQBeerKars No, what he's saying is that it was SUPPOSED to say rupees but there was a mix-up and it was dollars.

[@vinitsisle3466]

We're talking about NDTV not Republic TV. So please.

[@avantikamathur4387]

@@vinitsisle3466 it was a problem of translation The og guy was speaking in Marathi and things got lost in translation

[@Shrabean]

We should have those warnings for the current Pollies in Australia

[@patwiggins6969]

Too right. I wish this was real but it's probably better than we deserve

[@ratofvengence]

Ah, predicting the warning labels on Trump's Twit posts. Love it :D

[@mdl222]

Hear! Hear! Let's make it so!

[@cappy214]

I agree with garylibra. Everybody but the politicians sick to death of the lies that are accepted by a lot of our citizens. Critical Thinking, folks. Use it or lose it!

[@babytweeze85]

That's true. Of his time, Lincoln was one of the most hated presidents ever. He couldn't even go outside, people would throw fruit at him. And obviously he was killed in office. But yet history remembers him as one of the greats. Now I'm not saying Obama is the same, far from it actually. But many of the insults that are thrown at Obama about him being a tyrant and a dictator, were also hurled at Lincoln. And as for Will, he said it best in the first ep. "People CHOOSE the facts they want now"

[@AnyaChuri]

The fiasco happened because the actual sentence was stated in Marathi (State language of Maharashtra) and some reporter either interpreted or translated it wrong!

[@GodSpeed_28]

What was the actual statement? I'm just curious

[@oobaka1967]

Just imagine how wonderful the world would be if everyone was held accountable for the lies they help spread.

[@akimtu9523]

basically 95% of all journalists would be in prison.

[@oobaka1967]

@@akimtu9523 Journalists? No. Politicians absolutely.

[@JoshSweetvale]

Ah, but that's not beneficial to the rulers.

[@howizee]

Every current news anchor needs that label.

[@kobiosama]

Its a shame that this is fiction in journalistic field. I wish all media took integrity as a foundation of their news career.

[@juancalvillo6483]

Any real journalists must adhere to a strict code of ethics. That's why cable news sources are able to get away with so much because it's literally paid for, as opposed to normal tv. Real journalism must stick to facts.

[@scouttroop291]

His right. And a TV show show u the truth.

[@kolerick]

if remember it right, Trump little golfing trips cost to the USA in 1 year what every Obama's trips abroad did cost in 8 years... and those where "business" trips with return, even if indirect, to the american taxpayer... what's the return for Trump hitting a little ball?

[@oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164]

About the same as the other golf trips all the other Presidents went on, both Rep and Dem. presidentialgolftracker.com/100-years-of-golfing-presidents/ Here's an article from 2017 about travel costs: www.newsweek.com/obama-administration-travel-costs-114-million-trump-723883 Even at 10 mil the first year at the end of a possible 8 year term that would rack up 80 mil, compared to Obama's 114 mil, maybe people need to open their eyes a bit wider. Maybe they need to learn to add.

[@alexvoigt6946]

@@oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164 according to the website that tracks it, Trump made 298 golf outings in 4 years totaling an estimated $142 million bill of taxpayer money. That isn't a similar frequency to Obama, or any other president in recent memory. trumpgolfcount.com/#page-top

[@oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164]

@@alexvoigt6946 From a year ago ... really? Talk about a day late and a dollar short! The claim as already been debunked, get over it.

[@alexvoigt6946]

@@oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164 debunked by who? Sean Hannity? Tomi Lauren? OAN? The racist ghost of Roger Ailes? The tracker is based on confirmed and verified sightings of him on the golf course, which means Trump played a round of golf once every 4.9 days. Even if the overall cost of the outings is estimated, that's still considerably more frequent than Obama (once every 8.77 days), Bush, Clinton and basically every president other than Woodrow Wilson.

[@oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164]

@@alexvoigt6946 Go look it up! Fool!

[@tnadeau9737]

Lies take the escalator. Truth takes the stairs.

[@tristyy404]

40 planes is still the part that gets me…Air Force 1 & 2 don’t even have a backup & don’t travel together…where tf are the other 38 planes coming from?

[@calvinem]

Because, up until now, the White House has been SO transparent and forthcoming and truthful about its comings and goings. Way to get current, Mr. Sorkin.

[@neelmistry2526]

Pure excellence...

[@rocketfingers-JSR]

If only there were an abundance of news reporters today with this mentality in the US.

[@rudeliberal]

OMG I am so glad I found this now I can download clips and send them to my tea baggin next door neighbor to piss him off with facts!

[@MSUHitman]

I'm sure the whole series is pretty cheap now on EBay/Amazon, there were only 3 seasons.

[@viceroybear6298]

Fax from a fictional TV show? You're a special one aren't you the 60 minutes and The Daily Show are the same to you aren't they

[@MrTomahawg]

True journalism. Died during the seventies. Unfortunately it´s only TV-fiction.

[@ParodyOfHumanity]

I think that IF Pres. Obama is as bad as Republicans say that he is then there shouldn't be any reason for Rush, Bachman, or Beck to lie like they are here. You could simply stick to the facts and that would easily prove how terrible of a job he is doing. But the fact that they felt the need to lie should speak volumes about how his presidency was actually going at that point in time.

[@Oniphius1]

Oh to see how far down the rabbit hole Glenn Beck, Rush, and Fox news would go.

[@BigYellowFiat]

Remind anyone that America has been like this since this show

[@asterix7842]

Some things never change.

[@1minContent]

I remember..... This in the news headlines in india and how we were like this is not possible...... NDTV has the lowest ratings as a news channel for a reason

[@TheLionsEyes]

Finally... tv worth watching beyond pbs.

[@mc76]

Ten years ago, we thought this was the nadir of American partisanship.

[@timscanlon9905]

It's well worth it...what TV news SHOULD be.

[@dcagle91]

HBO hits another one out of the park . great show

[@goluchiluar]

7 years old clip. But NDTV pretty much still does the same

[@benlowe1701]

I would like them to come with that label to. Unfortunately, it appears we need to tolerate lies, in the name of "Political Balance." and "Being Unbiased". Because apparently telling fact from fiction is not a political stance....

[@WA_S_S_AW]

The Tea Party needs to be cleansed from the body politic. With extreme prejudice.

[@jeanfox6276]

I remember reading that story in our newspapers here in Kenya during that time

[@Nev4da]

No you're right. How dare the President use his power as Ambassador-in-Chief to conduct negotiations and deals on behalf of our nation to get us money and jobs. How dare he.

[@macgeek2004]

But honestly, you should see the beginning of Episode 10. In it's intro, MacAvoy gives an on-air monologue explaining how none of his attacks were ever from the left -- that rather he's a proud Republican of the OLD, proud tradition railing against the TEA Party FROM THE RIGHT as ignorant, intolerant, essentially fascist "RINOs." Once you see that scene, you'll honestly have little complaint with the show after that. ^_^

[@dfmrcv862]

This is 7 years late, but what exactly was fascistic about the Tea Party?

[@macgeek2004]

@@dfmrcv862 They were a precursor to the MAGA cult and to QANON. Astroturfed nonsense that relies on propaganda and believers distrusting everyone but their dear leader to keep going. Gods is it refreshing to read my post from back in 2012 right now. "essentially fascist." I miss the days when mentioning the fascistic tendencies of the American right-wing was almost like an afterthought instead of their biggest problem!

[@dfmrcv862]

@@macgeek2004 That... still doesn't answer how they were fascistic... or are... what was fascistic about them?

[@bkam7079]

@@dfmrcv862 He is saying that there was nothing about the Tea Party that was fantastic.

[@dfmrcv862]

@@bkam7079 I'm not asking if they were "fantastic", I'm asking what about them was *fascist*

[@louisstreet486]

And in all this. No one thought to look up the conversion rate of Indian rupees to USD which in 2010 converted INR 200 million into USD 4.5 million which matches the average cost they said

[@jsleep]

I.... love... this....

[@johnwick8035]

I would love to see a show like this happen in in many asian countries…

[@animal854]

2 billion USD for 10 day trip!! Around the same as India's defence spend in 2010.

[@HuxtableK]

Oh hey look, Rush Limbaugh! Haven't thought about him much since he died. Good.

[@ThirtyYearstoolate]

The TV show, by which , all others shall be judged.

[@johnmcindoo7677]

9 years old and still hilarious. 9 years old and still true. 9 years old and, and still...

[@HansonProductions112]

It isn't just Yahoo and MSNBC. Fox News and Fox Business, Current TV, CNN (whose spin depends on the news anchor), HLN, even Reason.tv!

[@michaelodonnell824]

I wonder how many "Journalists" would actually have jobs if they had to wear the suggested Warning Label?

[@sak2745]

I now understand why there were only a few seasons of this show. Too much truth being said by this fictitious news show.

[@FTG45]

Oh how I wish this was possible

[@Sickofdrawingcowboys717]

When this show was on I loved it but didn't pay any attention to politics. Now who isn't paying attention to politics and this show predicted it all.

[@mustang6172]

The executive branch cannot spend more money than authorized by the debt ceiling. Obama would actually be breaking the law if he tried paying bills without Congressional permission (barring some kind of trillion-dollar platinum coin scenario).

[@ThePatrickFamilyBand]

That sex offender comparison was a bit immeasured.

[@tomogden2432]

The Newsroom was prescient on SO many levels.

[@notoriousriot250]

Damn look at what happened 2016 to 2021 almost exactly to the letter if only we had an actual news crew who didn’t lie

[@Cerebres1]

There are many who get defensive about targeting Fox News and others like Limbaugh and Beck. They are quick o point out that there are many other news outlets that lean to the left. And your absolutely right. But the problem is currently, the news organizations that favour the right sometimes appear as if they're doing contracted advertising work for right wing candidates. And the lies they tell are, currently, far larger and much, much more frequent.

[@SirKickz]

I find assumptions like that to often be self-fulfilling. You're creating a bias in your own mind by making that assumption, and your brain will, completely without your permission or knowledge, automatically start filtering out observations that might undermine it. Basically, if you assume the worst, you will subconsciously ignore people's best qualities.

[@matthewdunham1689]

LOL Trump and his Nazi Republican party has proven this show to be 100% correct.

[@linux750]

i gotta get this on DVD

[@babytweeze85]

he did. In the beginning he said that trips like these "routinely cost 5 million a day" Which is still way too high I agree on that. But it's nowhere near the "200 million a day", or 20 million a day more than the entire Afghan WAR costs, that was quoted. It was speaking out to quoting a number without a relevant source and continuing with said number even though it was denied, rightfully so, by the White House.

[@215jmo]

"Nope" 😂

[@98wongjf]

Yes, US$200M a day for a trip is just crazy. US$5 million a day? Much more reasonable.

[@blackhawc39]

@prettyprettymo You mean the 1st amendment, right? The 5th amendment is also known sometimes as the "due process" amendment and has little to do with freedom of the press. Just to clear things up

[@R4Y2k]

Well, it's not like Sorkin didn't warn you guys where all of this was going.... but america would be america if it didn't answered "you know what? fuck it, we're going there full throttle!"

[@Qaor]

Wow... seeing this now in 2021 is really something. This type of scenario is LITERALLY playing out in front of us. With all the cast members, including fox, playing their part.... But at least Rush Limbaugh is dead.. 🤷‍♂️

[@pramodhnaidu2623]

YUUUPPP... That's Indian media🤗

[@aengusk3313]

Sad how Americans will believe anything that they want to rather than believing what's true

[@Zyexxx]

What year is this?

[@tashuntka]

He was seeing The Futureeee. They do come with that label. It's called being a Republican 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@jasonluong3862]

I am terrible with numbers. Is 200 millions a lot?

[@therrydicule]

Let me put that in perspective: What is your favourite car?

[@SlothGuru]

+therrydicule Volvo 240

[@uncle_nightmare]

Well, yeah

[@SandeepReddyMenakuru]

May be in the original post the Indian website would have mentioned 200 million bucks. that's rupees in India. which is approximately 5 million USD at that time. as usual he did not check with the original blogger and ran with it assuming bucks for USD.

[@Padfootandprongs4eve]

200 millian indian rupees is just under 4 million us dollars, probably the confusion here

[@SSS-yq8pz]

+Ronit Shahi Maybe.. but NDTV clearly reported $200M

[@yokie52]

Examples, please.

[@PhenyxinNC]

Love your "impotent rage" btw. :)

[@babytweeze85]

And one more thing, Will may have some misconstrued info, but it's a fictional character in a tv show. But one thing he does do is air actual clips from real newscasts. I remember when this original story broke and the avalanche off of bullshit mountain that followed. You can't say that he's making up lines about Rush and Fox News and Bachmann lying to us about this, when that's exactly what they did. And that's what this clip is originally about.