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industry in which success and failure...

...were determined week by week.

Mr. Jensen said he did not like

volatile industries and suggested...

...with a certain sinister silkiness...

...that volatility in business

usually reflected bad management.

He didn't care if Howard Beale

was the number-one show or the 50th.

He didn't really care

if the Beale Show lost money.

He wants Howard Beale on the air

and he wants him kept on.

I would describe his position on this

as inflexible.

Where does that put us, Diana?

That puts us in the shithouse,

that's where that puts us.

-Do you want me to go through this?

Yes.

The Beale Show Q score's down to 33.

Most of this loss occurred in the child

and teen and 18-34 categories...

...which were our key core markets.

And as the AR department's carefully

considered judgment and mine...

...that if we get rid of Beale,

we should maintain a respectable share...

...in the high 20s, possibly 30,

with a comparable Q level.

The other segments of the show,

Sibyl the Soothsayer...

...Jim Webbing, the Vox Populi,

have all developed their own audiences.

Our AR reports show

that it is Howard Beale...

...that is the destructive force here.

Minimally, we're talking about

a 10-point differential in shares.

I think Joe ought

to spell it out for us. Joe?

A 28 share is 80,000-dollar minutes.

I think we can sell complete positions

on the whole.

We're just getting

into the pre-Christmas gift sellers...

...and I'll tell you the agencies are coming

back to me with $4 CPM's.

If that's any indication, we're talking 40-,

Wanna hear the flak from the affiliates?

We know all about it, Herb.

And you would describe Mr. Jensen's

position on Beale as inflexible?

Intractable and adamantine.

So, what do we do

about this Beale son of a b*tch?

I suppose we'll have to kill him.

I don't suppose you have any ideas

on that, Diana?

Well, what would you fellows say

to an assassination?

I think I can get the Mao Tse-Tung people

to kill Beale for us...

...as one of their shows.

In fact, it'll make a hell of a kickoff show

for the season.

We're facing heavy opposition on the

other networks for Wednesday nights...

...and The Mao Tse-Tung Hour

could use a sensational opener.

It could be done

right on camera in the studio.

We ought to get

a fantastic look-in audience...

...for the assassination

of Howard Beale as our opening show.

Well, if Beale dies, what would

our continuing obligation...

...to the Beale corporation be?

I know our contract with Beale

contains a buy-out clause...

...triggered by his death or incapacity.

There must be a formula

for the computation of the purchase price.

Offhand, I think it was based

on a multiple 1975 earnings...

...with the base period in 1975.

I think it was 50 percent of salary

plus 25 percent of the first year's profit...

...multiplied by the unexpired portion

of the contract.

I don't think the show has

any substantial syndication value...

...would you say, Diana?

Syndication profits are minimal.

We're talking about a capital crime here.

The network can't be implicated.

I hope you don't have any hidden

tape machines in this office, Frank.

Well, the issue is,

shall we kill Howard Beale or not?

I'd like to hear

some more opinions on that.

I don't see we have any option, Frank.

Let's kill the son of a b*tch.

Ladies and gentlemen, let's hear it.

How do you feel?

We're mad as hell

and we're not going to take this anymore!

Ladies and gentlemen,

the Network News Hour...

...with Sibyl the Soothsayer.

Jim Webbing and his It's-the-Emes

Truth Department.

Ms. Mata Hari and her

Skeletons in the Closet.

And tonight,

another segment of Vox Populi.

And starring the Mad Prophet

of the Airways, Howard Beale!

The Network News anchorman

on the UBS Network News show...

...known to millions as the Mad Prophet

of the Airways...

...was shot to death tonight

in a fusillade of automatic-rifle fire...

...just as he began

this evening's broadcast.

We never compromise,

so why should you?

Canada Dry mixers, why compromise?

--identified themselves as

the group responsible for the killing.

Ahmed Kahn, a massive man of well

over 6 feet, carrying an automatic weapon.

--supposed to be good for you.

-Did you try it?

I'm not gonna try it, you try it.

-I'm not gonna try it.

-Let's get Mikey.

Yeah. He won't eat it.

He hates everything.

The extraordinary incident...

...occurred in full view

of his millions of viewers.

The assassins were members

of a terrorist group...

...called the Ecumenical Liberation Army,

two of whom were apprehended.

The leader of the group, known

as the Great Ahmed Kahn, escaped.

This was the story of Howard Beale...

...the first known instance

of a man who was killed...

...because he had lousy ratings.

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