The just-hired news director Alex Rydell arrives at Los Angeles television station KXZX-TV's ""Re-Action News"" to find the investigative news team chasing the biggest society scandal to break in years; bickering anchors Harry Chandler Moore and Sherry Beck; a combative (and apparently targeted) right wing commentator Marvin Seaborn and a controlling General manager, Art Hennesey. All the while, Alex must come to terms with sudden single parenthood when his wife decides not to join him in L.A. and instead sends their young son, Sean, to live with his father. As the news director's first week on the job progresses, vain veteran anchorman Harry, who uses the on-air moniker ""The Beacon of Truth,"" bitterly protests when Alex insists that he team up with Sherry to conduct an interview at the White House with President Clinton. After the co-anchors, with young segment producer Nancy Lockridge in tow, arrive in the nation's Capital, they discover, while fighting in the Lincoln bedroom, a mutual

Alex accepts that his marriage is over as Nancy tries to create order in his young son Sean's life; the News Brothers start a side business involving videotape, buxom women, and automatic weapons; Marvin discovers the origin of the chopped liver bomb; and Lou grapples with a professional athlete's wish to reveal his homosexuality during a Re-Action News Broadcast.

The News Brothers continue their side video business, which leads to the arrest of virtually every man at Re-Action News; new GM Helen Forbes makes her presence at the station known; Alex begins to get settled in his new house, thanks to the beautiful and ever-efficient nanny Aase; Ricardo heads home to Miami after receiving tragic news; and the killer of society woman Lisa Prentice may be about to reveal himself to Liz.

A man holding an abortion clinic hostage will only deal with his ""ideological mentor,"" Marvin; Helen hires image consultant Brian Clayhill, who is bent on cutting the news staff fat and updating L.A. 3's on-air look, prompting one veteran newsman to resign before the axe falls; Ricardo attempts to comfort his mother while dealing with his own grief over his brother's murder; Harry gets ""ad-libs"" from Billy, the stand-up comic; and Helen begins a heated pursuit of Marvin.

It's contract renewal time for Harry, who lists among his demands a 10% across-the-board increase and ownership of the ""Beacon of Truth"" name. While General Manager Helen finds both Harry and his demands laughable, she starts to take both a little more seriously when it appears as if Channel 8 is courting The Beacon—a scenario that delights both Sherry and Ricardo.