A Few Words About A few words about...™ Page One: Inside the New York Times -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

It hasn't been all that long, thirty years at most, that the concept of the documentary film changed from stogy and boring to sexy and occasionally relentlessly riveting.


Page One: Inside the New York Times is very much a part of the new breed. Socially responsible, enlightening, and in many ways both awe-inspiring and frightening. With major daily newspapers disappearing from our landscape, and with just a handful still in place to report the news, the mindset after viewing this superb work will leave many shaking their heads.


How could this have happened?


Opening the back rooms of The Times to a documentarian could well have been a two-edged blade. Give someone the literal keys to the kingdom, along with editorial privileges, and anything could occur.


But in Page One, what we find are the trials and tribulations of putting out possibly the most important daily newspaper in the world -- both respected and feared -- and the lengths to which those running The Times will go to keep things honest and open, with crystal clear reporting skills.


At times mind-numbingly frightening as major papers fall by the wayside, others taken over by investment groups who think it "might be fun to run a newspaper," and a major player like The Times fights for its life, while making the move into 21st century communication -- the web, the iPad, etc.


Andrew Rossi's superb documentary was called (by Reuters) "Something akin to The Social Network for the news business."


I agree.


This is a no holds barred view from the inside of a publication that has survived for over 150 years. With a major loss of advertising to the web, and with readership hopefully moving on-line, will we continue to have newspapers on paper?


One of the major points made is that the public looks at news as being "free." Click on any news website, and you'll find what appears to be the latest. But after viewing Page One, you realize that someone must pay for it. As entities shut down bureaus around the world, The Times struggles to keep their quality in place. And you realize how much of what you read on line, free, starts with a journalist researching a story that ends up in the New York Times.


It's difficult after viewing Page One, not to immediately take out a digital subscription, if for no other reason than respect.


Highly Recommended.


RAH

 

[Michel_Hafner]

Saw this at the Zurich film festival. For some reason the projection was plagued with a jumpy picture. Like they were playing 50 or 60 Hz content at 24 Hz or some other frame rate mismatch. I guess the Blu Ray is free of such issues?

 

[marsnkc]

As a news and documentary junkie, this is a must-have for me. The idea of quality newspapers going away, or at least cutting back on investigative journalism, should frighten anyone with an interest in the democratic process. Without the Fourth Estate, we're screwed! (I was visiting a studio once and saw Carl Bernstein backing into a parking space. He has a sense of humor; when I told him he reminded me of Dustin Hoffman he laughed so hard he almost hit a post).

 

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by marsnkc

As a news and documentary junkie, this is a must-have for me. The idea of quality newspapers going away, or at least cutting back on investigative journalism, should frighten anyone with an interest in the democratic process. Without the Fourth Estate, we're screwed!
(I was visiting a studio once and saw Carl Bernstein backing into a parking space. He has a sense of humor; when I told him he reminded me of Dustin Hoffman he laughed so hard he almost hit a post).

It was announced yesterday that The Times is eliminating 20 or so newsroom positions, via voluntary retirement packages and attrition.


This is extremely sad, but if it allow the institution that is The Times to move forward...


RAH

 

[TravisR]

Sounds like a semi-companion piece to the fifth season of The Wire.