Breaking news: “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” isn’t hilarious all the time.

The film tells of a San Diego TV news station in the early 1970s, a time when men read the news and people believed everything those men said.

Will Ferrell of “Saturday Night Live” fame stars as the station’s lead anchor. He’s a bimbo, but at least one with good hair.

In the name of “diversity” (which Burgundy believes is a Civil War-era ship), the station manager (the ever-funny Fred Willard) introduces a reporter named Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) into the chauvinistic newsroom. She wants to be the the first female anchor and for some reason falls for the cartoonish Burgundy.

Trouble sets in after Corningstone gets to read the news one day and is thereafter made a co-anchor – much to the dismay of her male co-workers.

Acting like a smug 13-year-old boy in a man’s pale, hairy body, Ferrell wails, howls and postures his way through the film. Sometimes it is so over the top that he’s hysterical; other times, he’s just over the top. However, a sense of vulnerability keeps the vain, ignorant anchorman from being entirely unappealing.

The film has some inspired moments, including an a cappella “Afternoon Delight” and a mighty battle among various area news stations.

As probably the funniest supporting actor, Steve Carell plays the station’s weatherman. He gives viewers a reason to guffaw with his hilarious delivery and ad-libbed lines.

Fitting with the SNL roots of Ferrell and first-time director Adam McKay, a former lead writer for the show, “Anchorman” feels like a series of skits strung together to make a 90-minute film. Some parts work better than others.

“Anchorman” may not wind up on many best-of lists, but it will surely keep Ferrell’s fans happy until his next goofy, uneven comedy.