In movies and TV one sometimes [1] sees film being developed under a red safe-light, which of course cannot be done with panchromatic film. Is this portraying a common practice of journalists and spies using non-panchromatic film (perhaps because it was cheaper, more widely available, or more convenient to develop because it could be done under a safe-light) in the late pre-digital era ('80s and '90s), or is this just artistic license? Would a journalist have chosen a non-panchromatic film for their everyday work in this era?
I know what artistic license is. I know why it might be employed. I only want to know whether there is a plausible situation where this is realistic.
[1] The example that finally triggered this question was in Weißensee, season 3 episode 1, just after the 24-minute mark, where Katja is clearly seen loading film into a development tank in red light.