The newsreader gay

Award-winning Australian miniseries, The Newsreader (released domestically in 2021 and getting its US debut now on Roku Channel) is something of a bait and switch act. The critically acclaimed drama about the 80s television news scene starts off as a look at the sexism and racism surrounding the Australian broadcasting industry before revealing its same-sex attracted heart.

In 80s Australia “women roar and men thunder”, as rock team Men At Perform put it. It’s 1986 and Prime Minister Bob Hawke is riding tall and adored by the public for sculling a yard glass of beer. Crocodile Dundee is about to be released, cementing a vision of Australian men as coarse and rough with a heart of gold. It was also an era rife with sexism, racism, and homophobia.

Helen (Anna Torv) is a successful newsreader looking for respect. Her co-anchor Geoff (Robert Taylor) is a 30 year veteran of Australian news, and she is expected to be a adorable face serving up ‘human interest’ stories. Her ideas for more hard-hitting pieces are rejected and she is constantly belittled for organism emotional, “a war zone on two legs”. Meanwhile, a green reporter, Dale (Sam Reid), is trying to build a name for himself, longing