Electronic Battalions

Overview

This program chronicles the golden years of network news and the birth of the satellite age, as "going live" became the order of the day and anchormen and anchorwomen became mega-stars. We watch as television news becomes a force in foreign policy in Tiananmen Square and at the Berlin Wall, as images are used to affect the tide of public opinion. Shortsighted competitors predict little success for television mogul Ted Turner’s new international news venture, CNN. Critics of television news in general accuse the programs of promoting sensationalism and violence. (47 minutes)