spoiler alert i have never see comment on a movie and that i disagree with more then the comment people make on this . one could learn from critical viewing of this movie . a an educational film and i rate it highly because it teach how to succeed . we do not watch movie to learn while we generally watch for entertainment . a entertainment and i rate it low represent the end be downbeat and cerebral or intellectual . this conflict result in my eight star rating . the movie follow jane craig ( holly hunter ) and a television news producer . the network executive introduces tom grunnick ( william hurt ) and to study for the on air news anchor position . tom immediately charm people with humbleness . another potential news anchor have be wait for year for his on air opportunity and aaron altman ( albert brook ) . altman know all news story and inside and out . the network executive want grunnick on the air and jane argues and say grunnick be not ready and he doesn not know the news . they do not listen to her . force to place grunnick on the air and jane contact altman to get information on the news story and relay altman comment through an earpiece to grunnick while grunnick speaks . we watch the sharp contrast between altman or jane craig word and grunnick and a grunnick skillfully rewords everything altman and jane craig say in his ear and in order to make it understandable and likable and entertain the audience . altman get a chance on air and the network execs require him to seek coaching from grunnick and the new guy . this new ( news ingnorant ) guy coach him . this be something altman do not see justified and but agree reluctantly . grunnick coach altman and get excite note hundred of altman shortcoming in appearance and audio and vocabulary . altman never consider these thing before and when he become an expert on the news itself . the complexity of understand what grunnick teach him and cause altman to have a panicked sweating attack ( flop sweat ) when he be on the air . grunnick eventually become the top network anchor and altman resigns prior to be fire . but grunnick fails in his attempt for a romance with jane craig and because she find out from altman and that grunnick sometimes fakes circumstance in order to make people like him . this turn her off of him . this send the message that in relationship and we want people who be genuine and not try to make u like them . this movie send the message that get people to like you be the most important skill in a job and but it be especially true in broadcast news . there be many people comment on how this be the dumbing down of tv news and how grunnick represent a good look and but dumb guy or all style and but no substance . the opposite be true and grunnick possess skill and very complex intellect and to get people to like him and include the presence of mind to know exactly how he appear and sound and when he be on camera ( he coach altman to punch a word in every sentence ) . grunnick flaw that cost him the relationship with jane craig and be that he be too drive to be likable and will fake a situation . many people be call altman very intelligent or brilliant . altman play by brooke be not as intelligent a grunnick and the flop sweat scene show that his mind could not handle the complexity that grunnick handle when on the air . altman be anger by this fact that he know the news and grunnick suceeded more by get people to like him . there be also people comment that these thing be exclusive to the tv news industry . the concept that win friend be the most important skill in a job and be obviously and not popular and but my experience indicate it be true in most job . a an education on how to succeed and this movie be fantastic and albeit unpopular . educational and yes and but it do not have an uplifting end .