Network 4K 1976
Howard Beale, the regular star of UBS-TV news, got burned: he had a nervous breakdown during a live broadcast. Ironically, his public outburst boosted his already fabulous ratings, much to the surprise and delight of UBS bosses. As a result, having become famous as the "mad prophet of live television," he soon became a pawn for the ruthless television bosses, who milked him for crazy antics at every opportunity. Naturally, when the "prophet" became a liability, something had to be done about him urgently, preferably on camera and in front of a full audience.
