> Download Charlie Brooker’s Newswipe: Episode 5 (264mb *.zip)
Charlie Brooker has been entertaining us for years with his biting and satirical look at television through his own show Screenwipe. Earlier this year however he launched Newswipe, and focused his attention on the world of broadcast news. And while I was expecting Brooker to deliver a funny yet scathing look at television news, I wasn’t expecting it to be quite so profound.
Charlie Brooker continues to further define his niche, and along the way make some truly thoughtful observations on a subject we should probably all care a little more about… the quality of our news, and the effect it has on us.
And for the most tenuous of links.. today is World Press Freedom Day, an observance adopted by the United Nations since 1993.
World Press Freedom Day is celebrated every year on 3 May worldwide. It is an opportunity to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
Charlie Brooker can do profound very well. Here are two of my favourite examples:
Firstly, his accurate summary of British news coverage of the Madeleine McCann case (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RRmE0_n0K4).
Secondly, his perfectly written and genuinely moving tribute to children’s TV creator Oliver Postgate (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yEXV1fTqWM).
The second clip in particular shows how the contrast with his comedy can be extremely thought provoking.
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It’s a pity the content is so UK-centric – I guess that’s what prevents ABC or SBS from screening Brooker over here. Shame, because I think it’d still work. He’s brilliant.
He summated my own feelings on the Susan Boyle phenomenon better than I could ever hope to articulate: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYbL8BwTqnk
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Newswipe is just amazing! Charlie Brooker rules! Go away!
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