Broadcast News
A high-strung news producer finds herself in a love triangle between a talented but self-doubting reporter and a charming new anchor, who embodies the growing trivialization of news that she is determined to fight against.
Despite a respectable budget of $20.0M, Broadcast News became a box office success, earning $67.3M worldwide—a 237% return.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Broadcast News (1987) demonstrates precise dramatic framework, characteristic of James L. Brooks's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 13 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.4, the film takes an unconventional approach to traditional narrative frameworks.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Jane Craig
Tom Grunick
Aaron Altman
Ernie Merriman
Main Cast & Characters
Jane Craig
Played by Holly Hunter
Brilliant, perfectionistic news producer driven by journalistic integrity and consumed by her work. Struggles with romantic feelings while maintaining professional standards.
Tom Grunick
Played by William Hurt
Charismatic but intellectually insecure anchorman who relies on charm and instinct rather than journalistic depth. Genuinely attracted to Jane despite their professional differences.
Aaron Altman
Played by Albert Brooks
Talented, neurotic reporter with deep journalistic knowledge who harbors unrequited love for Jane. Struggles with being overlooked despite his superior skills.
Ernie Merriman
Played by Robert Prosky
Veteran network correspondent and mentor figure who represents old-school broadcast journalism values and wisdom.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Young Jane wins a school debate but has no friends to celebrate with. Young Tom is popular but vapid. Young Aaron is ridiculed for his intelligence. Three childhoods that foreshadow their adult dynamics in the news world.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 15 minutes when Tom Grunick, the handsome but intellectually shallow new anchorman, arrives at the bureau. Jane is immediately both attracted to and repelled by what he represents: style over substance.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 34 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Jane decides to actively help Tom prepare for a crucial date rape story interview, crossing the line from skeptic to collaborator. She commits to making him succeed despite her reservations., moving from reaction to action.
At 67 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat Tom's date rape interview airs to massive acclaim. It's a triumph that elevates him to the network's attention. Jane is thrilled by the professional success but the stakes have changed - Tom is now on a path to the top., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 98 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Aaron discovers that Tom faked a tear in the date rape interview - a fundamental breach of journalistic ethics. He tells Jane, forcing her to confront that Tom represents everything she claimed to stand against. Her romantic hope dies., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 106 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Jane confronts Tom about the faked tear. She makes the choice to end their relationship, choosing professional integrity over personal happiness. Tom doesn't fully grasp the gravity of his ethical breach, confirming they're incompatible., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Broadcast News's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping Broadcast News against these established plot points, we can identify how James L. Brooks utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Broadcast News within the comedy genre.
James L. Brooks's Structural Approach
Among the 5 James L. Brooks films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.7, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Broadcast News takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete James L. Brooks filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more James L. Brooks analyses, see How Do You Know, Spanglish and Terms of Endearment.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Young Jane wins a school debate but has no friends to celebrate with. Young Tom is popular but vapid. Young Aaron is ridiculed for his intelligence. Three childhoods that foreshadow their adult dynamics in the news world.
Theme
Jane passionately argues about the integrity of news journalism during a meeting, stating "The news is what we say it is." The central question: Can you maintain journalistic integrity while succeeding in a ratings-driven business?
Worldbuilding
Establishing the Washington DC news bureau. Jane Craig is the brilliant, neurotic producer. Aaron Altman is the talented but unmarketable reporter. Their close working relationship and the high-pressure world of network news.
Disruption
Tom Grunick, the handsome but intellectually shallow new anchorman, arrives at the bureau. Jane is immediately both attracted to and repelled by what he represents: style over substance.
Resistance
Jane debates whether to help Tom succeed despite her principles. Aaron realizes he's in love with Jane. Jane coaches Tom on journalism basics. The network announces budget cuts and layoffs are coming, raising stakes.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Jane decides to actively help Tom prepare for a crucial date rape story interview, crossing the line from skeptic to collaborator. She commits to making him succeed despite her reservations.
Mirror World
Tom and Jane have their first real personal conversation during a late-night work session. Tom confesses his insecurities about his intelligence. Jane begins to see him as human, not just a symbol of everything wrong with news.
Premise
The romantic triangle develops. Jane produces brilliant segments while helping Tom rise. Aaron gets his one shot to anchor weekend news and sweats through it disastrously. Jane navigates between her principles, her career, and her heart.
Midpoint
Tom's date rape interview airs to massive acclaim. It's a triumph that elevates him to the network's attention. Jane is thrilled by the professional success but the stakes have changed - Tom is now on a path to the top.
Opposition
The network wants to promote Tom to the national desk. Aaron confronts Jane about her feelings for Tom. Jane must choose between Aaron (substance) and Tom (chemistry). The layoffs hit the bureau hard, people lose their jobs.
Collapse
Aaron discovers that Tom faked a tear in the date rape interview - a fundamental breach of journalistic ethics. He tells Jane, forcing her to confront that Tom represents everything she claimed to stand against. Her romantic hope dies.
Crisis
Jane must process that her judgment was clouded by attraction. She reviews the tape herself and confirms the faked tear. The death of her romantic dream, her professional integrity questioned, facing what she's compromised.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Jane confronts Tom about the faked tear. She makes the choice to end their relationship, choosing professional integrity over personal happiness. Tom doesn't fully grasp the gravity of his ethical breach, confirming they're incompatible.
Synthesis
The bureau disbands due to restructuring. Jane, Aaron, and Tom go their separate ways. Each finds career success: Tom becomes network anchor, Jane runs a bureau, Aaron reports from overseas. They meet years later, older and changed.
Transformation
Seven years later reunion. Jane and Tom meet with warmth but no rekindled romance - she's married, he's engaged. They've all succeeded professionally but separately. Jane maintained her integrity and found a different path to happiness. The closing image mirrors the opening: each found their place, but together they remain incompatible.