Clooney hopes to shine light on 'hard' journalism

George Clooney hopes his new movie Goodnight, and Good Luck will prompt a renewed respect for "good hard" journalism.

The Hollywood actor is directing and appearing in the film, which tells the story of broadcaster Edward R Murrow and his on-air confrontations with Senator Joseph McCarthy.

And Clooney, whose father Nick Clooney was a journalist and anchorman on and off for 40 years, hopes the film will display the fundamentals of true journalism.

He says: "(I want the film to show) good hard news is not antiquated and hard journalism can exist. (Television) news has now become entertainment instead of a service. I'm allowed to say it, because of my background.

"(My father) would come home and tell us how they wanted to stress the make-up and wardrobe."

Robert Downey Jr, Ray Wise, Tate Donovan, Jeff Daniels, David Strathairn and Patricia Clarkson are among the film's cast.