Almost as quickly as media began, came stories of its certain end. Never has the drumbeat been so loud as in the past couple of years when it comes to print newspapers, with their ad revenue in tatters because of digital competitors and a readership depleted by the ability to receive information in seconds in a myriad of other ways. In January of 2009, the Atlantic ran a feature asking a once unthinkable question: could the New York Times be out of business by that May? It wasn’t long before writer/director Andrew Ross embedded himself at the paper to watch how the drama would play out.
In a brief history lesson, the venerability of the Times is established. For many years (decades, really) the Gray Lady had become so influential that that the term “The New York Times effect” was coined to denote the fact that If the Times led with a particular story, it’s competitors followed suit. For many readers in 2011, that reputation may seem like a distant memory. In recent years, the paper has found itself at the center of scandal—columnist Judith Miller’s inaccurate opinions on the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and the plagiarism of reporter Jayson Blair, immediately come to mind. That revelation led to the downfall of the then executive editor, Howell Raines.
So, it’s with those crises on their record that the New York Times comes to Page One. Much of the films focus is on the reporters at the Times media desk, established in 2008 to follow the technology that could ultimately be the paper’s undoing. One of the stories that occupy them throughout is Wikileaks, which emerges as both a source and a rival. The star here is undoubtedly David Carr. An irascible fellow, he found himself at the paper after years as a drug addict and self described thug. His love for the Times and what it’s supposed to stand for is unshakable. In one clip, he verbally slaps down a group of young online journalists from Vice who dare impugn it.
Also sharing the spotlight are Carr’s colleague Brian Stetler is a former blogger who seems genuinely surprised to be there and occasionally, in over his head; Bruce Headlam, the editor of the media section, who always looks rumpled and on the verge of some sort of illness. We also get a glimpse at beat reporter Richard Perez-Pena and Tim Arango, a bright corporate-media reporter whose only dream in life was to be a great reporter. Before the film ends, he gets promoted to Iraq correspondent On the periphery, but nonetheless important, are executive editor Bill Kerr and foreign editor Susan Chira, who offer their thoughts through editorial meetings and interview footage.
Around the footage of the newsroom and those involved, are intercut interviews with other journalists and experts. Among them are: academics such as Emily Bell of Columbia and Clay Shirky of NYU; former Times reporter and author Gay Talese; famed Watergate journalist Carl Bernstein, Sarah Ellison of The Wall Street Journal, Nation editor/publisher Katrina vanden Heuvel, and The Atlantic‘s Michael Hirschorn (who wrote the controversial piece predicting the inevitable demise of the Times), and Arianna Huffington of The Huffington Post, all of whom discuss/debate the importance of primary-source, in-the-field reporting and the value of a Times-like venue and infrastructure when it comes to producing high-quality, ethical journalism. While none of them provide definitive answers as to whether digital media will eventually take over the traditional newspaper, they certainly raise some interesting questions.
Presented in 1.78:1 aspect-ratio, this 1080p transfer does a fine job for the material. The transfer itself shows no inherent flaws; any glitches are due to the original source material. Colors and skintones remain sharp and stable throughout.
In keeping with its candid, spontaneous style, the sound from Rossi’s one-man shoot has varying degrees of quality and is sometimes muffled or tinny. However, the disc’s DTS 5.1 Master Audio soundtrack itself is fine, with everything remaining audible.
The following special features are included:
- Additional Scenes (HD, 20 min.) – Most of these scenes give a more personal look at the journalists in the film like Brian Stelter, Bruce Hedlam, and David Carr.
- Extended Interviews (HD, 14 min.) – There are three separate extended interviews here that you’ll enjoy if you want a greater understanding of what was being talked about. Participants include Carl Bernstein discussing the real threat to newspapers, Emily Bell and her view on journalism, and Sarah Ellison talking about Rupert Murdoch.
- Journalists React to ‘Page One’ (HD, 3 min.) – Recognizable journalists like Brian Williams, Bob Simon, and Morley Safer are interviewed briefly after they leave a screening of the movie.
- Q&A Highlights with the Cast and Filmmakers (HD, 15 min.) – A hodgepodge of clips with the main people in the film answering questions about their jobs and newspapers in general.
- Tim Arango with Joao Silva in Iraq (HD, 5 min.) – A more in-depth look at Tim Arango’s story from the movie.
