First hour: Did the film Broadcast News predict the future of the news industry?
Second hour: Dialogue on Disability - A look at autism research and care in 2018
When the iconic film Broadcast News was released in 1987, director James L. Brooks gave audiences a well-researched and honest look at how network news was changing. Some say it served as a warning of how an increasing emphasis on attractive anchors and entertainment-driven ideas were growing at the expense of quality journalism. Did the film predict the future of the news industry? In a recent interview published in The Ringer, Brooks said he doesn't think his film created a lens for the future in the same way as did a film like Network. Instead, he said, with Broadcast News "the future was beginning to happen." Our guests discuss the film 30 years after its release, and if and how it rings true today. In studio:
- Adam Chodak, anchor and managing editor for WROC-TV
- Elissa Orlando, senior vice president of television and news for WXXI
- Rebecca Leclair, owner of Leclair Communications, and former television news anchor and reporter
Then in our second hour, we begin 2018's Dialogue on Disability Week with a conversation about autism. New research published in JAMA indicates that the rates of autism spectrum disorder among U.S. children remained stable from 2014 to 2016. That's a change from earlier studies, which suggested that autism rates rose steadily over the past 20 years. The authors of the recent study pointed to changes in diagnostic criteria, more public awareness, and more children being referred to doctors as among the principle reasons for the earlier increases. Yet, as physicians, advocates, and parents are quick to point out, the stabilization shouldn't detract for exploring new treatments and adaptive experiences for children and adults with autism spectrum disorder. This hour, we discuss a range of issues related to autism, and explore options for care in our community. Our guests:
- Dr. Susan Hyman, M.D., chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at UR Medicine's Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong
- Mary Walsh Boatfield, CEO of CP Rochester, Happiness House, and Rochester Rehabilitation, and co-founder of the Golisano Autism Center
- Michelle Maney, parent of a teenager who is on the autism spectrum
- Sandra Erb-Petruccione, parent of an adult who is on the autism spectrum
This conversation is part of WXXI’s Inclusion Desk, spotlighting issues related to disabilities. The WXXI Inclusion Desk is part of Move to Include — a partnership to encourage thoughtful discussion about issues of inclusion and the differently-abled.
