It is the late 1970s, a period when local television news is changing,
but few notice. The Best in the West provides a passport into this
world, a world where journalism and journalist were not yet suspect
terms. From the anchorman the audience foolishly loves to the harassed
producers, photographers and editors, it is an unlikely but winning
team.
It is a male club of former newspaper and radio reporters chosen for
their experience in getting the news. Only a few women have earned
admission. Ellen Peters is one. Tough and cynical, she sees reporting as
a job. For the idealistic newcomer Debbie Hanson, it is a vocation, a
way to get the truth to the public. While Debbie tries to fit in, Ellen
stands back and watches. She is, after all, a reporter.