Elements of Journalism visible in Good Night, and Good Luck

By Katie Thompson

Good Night, and Good Luck, (2005) directed by George Clooney, tells the story of CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow and his coverage and ultimate exposure of Senator Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare.

In the 1950s the fear of Communism in the United States was made worse with McCarthy and the scare tactics he employed. Few were willing to oppose him in fear of being blacklisted and accused of being a Communist. Murrow, however, was not one of these people and courageously decided to take a stand against McCarthy.

His reasons for going after McCarthy and the means by which he did so reflect some of the principle concepts in Kovach and Rosenstiel’s book on perfecting the art of journalism, The Elements of Journalism.

Journalism’s first obligation is to the truth, according to The Elements of Journalism, and this was something that Murrow fully understood. He sought the truth by first collecting all of the background information and facts on McCarthy that he knew would be pertinent and irrefutable to his case. He was then able to question McCarthy in such a way that the facts themselves could reveal the truth. Murrow felt it his responsibility to defend a cause that may be unpopular at the time and thus pursued the truth behind the things McCarthy was claiming and sought to reveal it.

Elements of Journalism also emphasizes that journalism’s first loyalty is to the citizens and that it should provide a “voice for the voiceless”. Journalists during the Red Scare were afraid to report on McCarthy and his scare tactics because they feared becoming his next target. Murrow recognized this risk but also recognized his responsibility to be the “voice for the voiceless” and to stand up to injustice.

In the end Murrow’s stand against McCarthy paid off, exposing the Senator for who he really was and what his true motives were. It was Murrow’s careful reporting and loyalty to the truth and to citizens that made it possible. In perfect accordance with the ideals of The Elements of Journalism, Murrow summed up the task of a journalist in simple terms. “Search for truth with diligence and report it.”