GEORGE CLOONEY condemned television news journalism yesterday, saying that the public was worse informed today than 15 years ago despite the proliferation of channels.

The Hollywood star, who wanted to be a television journalist long before he won a Golden Globe for O Brother, Where Art Thou?, said: “When I was growing up there were three networks and basically the same information.

“Now, because we’ve fractioned into little pieces, you go look for the things that reinforce what you already believe to be fact and don’t get a common truth.”

Standards today paled against those set more than half a century ago by Edward R. Murrow, he said of the pioneering CBS television journalist who exposed Senator Joseph McCarthy’s witchhunts against Communists.

Clooney said: “Murrow and his team’s sense of moral justice and general human decency make him a hero of the highest order . . . They were willing to take on things, fly in the face of the corporations that owned the companies that they worked for. Not many are willing to do that any more.”

Murrow’s achievements and Clooney’s belief that there is no comparable journalist today inspired him to make a film of the conflict between Murrow and McCarthy in Good Night. And, Good Luck. Clooney directed and stars in the film.

He was speaking at the Venice International Film Festival, where his film received its world premiere last night, before its screening at The Times bfi 49th London Film Festival on November 3.

Clooney said of Murrow’s campaign against McCarthy: “It is one of the few times you could point to where broadcast journalism has actually changed the world and people’s minds. McCarthy was untouchable until Murrow stepped up. It was one of those moments where you really had to be brave.”

The film was also inspired by the star’s father, Nick, a television journalist on a Cincinnati-based station for 30 years, who last year stood for Congress.

Explore World News

• World Agenda

• Iraq News

• US & Americas News

• Europe News

• Middle East News

• Asia News

• Africa News

• Ireland News

Times Recommends

• Fish and chip shops ‘selling cobbler as cod’
• T in the Park festival at Kinross
• How to get Madonna’s Thighs