Original: The film was written by Clooney and Grant Heslov and portrays the conflict between veteran radio and television journalist Edward R. Murrow and U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin , especially relating to the anti-Communist Senator 's actions with the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations .
Simplified: It portrays the conflict between veteran radio and television journalist Edward R. Murrow and U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin , especially relating to the anti-Communist Senator 's actions with the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations .