High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Newsroom is an American television drama series created by Aaron Sorkin, which premiered on the premium cable network HBO on June 24, 2012.Jeff Daniels stars as news anchor Will McAvoy, who takes a mandatory leave of absence after a public tirade against America during a political debate. Upon his return, he discovers that most of his staff has quit and that his boss Charlie Skinner (Sam Waterston) has hired his ex-girlfriend MacKenzie McHale (Emily Mortimer) as his new executive producer. She and Will immediately butt heads when she envisions the creation of a new kind of news show, where entertainment and ratings are irrelevant and facts are of primary importance. The series is executive produced by Aaron Sorkin, Alan Poul and Scott Rudin.