Staff Picks Blog

Is the newspaper dead?  This question underlies the film Page One: Inside the New York Times.  The documentary opens with news clips and headlines of the Rocky Mountain News ceasing publication, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer publishing exclusively online, and the Tribune company bleeding cash and staff.  At a time of decreasing circulation (as more people get news online), where does a storied institution like the New York Times fit in the new media landscape?

Although it is a scary time for newspapers, it is also an exciting time, especially if you work at the Media Desk at the New York Times. Page One follows the Times‘ media reporters for a full year as they cover the current state of traditional media and the emergence of new players.  It is an interesting year too: WikiLeaks emerges, Comcast purchases a controlling interest in NBC, the Tribune goes bankrupt, and the NY Times is deciding whether or not to charge their online readers.

The documentary is a little choppy and its structure needed a little work, but I came away thinking about the future of news, which was the point. Plus, you should see the film just to watch David Carr.