“PAGE ONE: 

INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES”

a documentary (premiered at Sundance – 2011)

A very interesting movie about a very interesting subject.  The question posed was (paraphrased): “Do we need the Grey Lady in an age of internet news, instant information, tweeting, the blogisphere, round the clock cable news channels, among the  myriad ways we find out about the news?” 

There are those who see the New York Times, always “the newspaper of record” as either anachronistic now or soon to be so.  In this digital age where everybody is a reporter and we all have cellphones, cameras, and are “tapped in” to what is happening, how important and useful, relevant is the NYT and its worldwide bureaus, staff writers far flung around the globe, and the thousands more in New York City who shape and deliver a newspaper on a daily basis?

Michael Kingsley of the New York Times panned the movie saying it was “all over the place” and “it does little to illuminate that struggle, preferring instead a constant parade of people telling the camera how dreadful it would be if The Times did not survive.”

David Carr, the Times media and culture columnist, is the man who gets the lion’s share of the face time.  Frankly, I don’t think the Times could find a better advocate, one who can relate to the question of “relevance.”  David is a very interesting man, casually impressive in an offhand but on-point way. I found the movie engrossing and highly interesting.

So, I’ll disagree, rather strongly, with Michael Kingsley and say that this is well worth a couple of hours, if only to see behind the veil and watch decisions being made and the paper put together.  I give it “five highfives”  “and it goes well with popcorn.”    HL