American Hostage

WIBC News Director Fred Heckman gets the story of his career when a used car salesman, Tony Kiritsis, takes his mortgage broker, Dick Hall, hostage. When Tony calls Fred and demands to be interviewed. Fred must decide whether to air the potentially deadly radio interview live.

Fred has a groundbreaking on-air interview with Tony, only to find himself pulled further and further away from his role as news director. With Fred at the center, the radio station becomes the hub of the action as police, lawyers, and the mortgage company scramble to meet Tony’s demands.

When a report from WIBC sends Tony into a deadly spiral, Fred is forced to embrace the role of hostage negotiator to prolong Dick’s life.

Fred, in trying to talk Tony through a dark period of despondency, ends up revealing deep personal truths that have repercussions for his marriage.

Fred is pushed to the brink as he waits to see whether Tony will accept the DA’s immunity offer.

As Fred wrestles with selling the false immunity agreement to Tony over the air, our story takes us back to 1972.