The show followed the machinations of the fictional current affairs show Frontline. Ruthless producers, an airhead host, and ambitious journalists resorted to all sorts of underhanded tricks to get ratings--not to mention making themselves look good for the network bosses. However, what gave the show its true impact was that the stories and actions of the journalists were often thinly-disguised parodies of real events.
The fictional host of the show, "Mike Moore" (played by Sitch) was widely viewed as a parody of Stan Grant, the host of Today Tonight, one of the current affairs shows that Frontline parodied. Sitch has stated that none of the characters were directly based on a single person, and, indeed, some of Moore's characteristics, and the storylines of the third series, were clearly inspired by Today Tonight's rival, A Current Affair, and the travails of Ray Martin, the show's host at the time.