Plot summary

In this fact-based movie set in 1974, Christine Chubbuck is the Suncoast Digest reporter for WZRB Channel 30 in Sarasota, Florida. She has been at the station for a year since leaving Boston. Her reports are quite popular but she would like to do important stories.Christine interviews President Richard Nixon, who is several weeks away from announcing his resignation. Except there's no one in the other chair to respond to her questions.The newscast begins, with George as the anchor, and Christine prepares her latest story on a zoning controversy. Just in time, the footage is ready and she is ready to sit in the other chair on the set. Steve does the weather, and the very pretty Andrea does the sports, though she is not shown on air.Michael, the station manager, announces that the station needs to improve its ratings, and he shows footage of someone getting shot on the air live on a Miami station. He says this is what the station needs, a tactic called "if it bleeds, it leads." Christine is unwilling to compromise her principles.Told she should get herself checked out by a doctor because of pain she is having, Christine first asks a nurse at the hospital where she does puppet shows for children. The nurse says she isn't qualified so Christine goes to a doctor and further tests are needed to determine just what is wrong. Christine is shown during the movie doing puppet shows several more times, each time seeming to be more serious and less appropriate for children.Christine lives with her mother Peg and they get in an argument after Peg tries to get her to eat. First Christine accuses Peg of smoking pot again. Then Peg says she has a new relationship with Mitch and Christine says this one won't last either. Peg says Christine is getting in another of her moods just like in Boston. Christine says her mother doesn't even ask about her relationship with George. They eventually make up and hug.Michael meets with station owner Bob Andersen and announces to the staff that Bob will hire one of them for a station in Baltimore.Christine meets with a police captain hoping to get news about better stories, but he doesn't have much to offer. Then Christine starts listening to a scanner, and she and camera operator Jean go to a fire. The man whose house caught fire was burned because, after apparently falling asleep smoking, he had to go back inside the house to get his cigarettes. Told by Christine not to film the burning house, Jean focuses on the man. When the story runs, Christine is criticized for running a story about a fire with no footage of the fire. Christine defends herself by saying the story was about addiction.The X-ray shows Christine has a small cyst that requires her ovary to be removed. The problem can be treated easily at this stage but Christine may not be able to have children with just one ovary. Christine is reluctant to accept that option.During an interview at the station, Christine is upset that artificial flowers were used, and she ends the interview and starts crying elsewhere. She comes back calmer and asks the subject to continue later.The entire staff is required to attend a Fourth of July party. Christine goes but she is not happy, she makes insulting comments, and then she wants to leave.At home, Christine sees a couple arguing in another house. She gets the idea of recreating dramatic stories, and she is very excited when she pitches the idea. Michael doesn't seem enthusiastic. He and Christine have a major argument when Michael tries to cancel one of her other stories in favor of a serial killer in Gainesville, which is not local. Furthermore, Jean is being allowed to do her own stories. Christine goes home to find her mother with Mitch. Christine ignores Mitch and then she and her mother argue. Jean calls and no one answers the phone, so Mitch does. This makes Christine angry.George asks Christine out and they have a good time in a nice restaurant. George admits he was selected to go to Baltimore, but when Christine asks if he can recommend that she go too, he says Andrea is already going. Then they go to the high school where George was the quarterback before an injury ended his hopes of a football career. He never left this town. They go inside where a type of group therapy is taking place. Christine is paired with another woman who asks Christine questions. Each time Christine answers a question, she must start with "Yes, but" or be reminded to do so. Christine says she doesn't want to have her ovary removed because she wants to have her own baby and adoption won't do. She also talks about her career and how she is being asked to compromise her principles. Her partner seems to think any problem Christine has is overly easy to solve.After George takes Christine home, she drives to the house where Bob is staying. Bob, like Christine, liked to come to Sarasota on vacation, so he bought a house and the TV station. Christine claims to have a flat tire and that she didn't realize whose house she stopped at. She and Bob have a nice conversation which includes a request to go to Baltimore. Bob is nice but admits he already chose the people he wanted.Back at the station, Christine is much more willing to agree to do whatever she is told to do. She even seems to be getting along with Jean.One of Christine's earlier stories, researched but apparently not put on the air, was about a mechanic who fixes, sells and collects guns. With an attitude that people need guns to protect themselves that seems more like 50 years later, he showed her several small guns that were quite powerful. Christine returns to the garage and is shown hiding a small gun in one of her puppets.When Christine is about to present one of her stories on air, the film jams but Christine doesn't seem too concerned. Then she announces the station will continue with its "blood and guts" philosophy and do something never before seen--a suicide on the air. She pulls out the gun, points it at her head, and fires, shocking everyone.Christine is taken to the hospital and someone is shown reading a bloody press release, which was obviously prepared before the event, announcing what just took place.Peg and Mitch come to the hospital. Peg is very upset and Jean tries to comfort her. Peg is later shown in Christine's hospital room.On TV, Walter Cronkite is shown with Christine's photo in the background, telling what has happened in his newscast.Before the credits, Jean is shown putting together a memorial for Christine.