MONDAY MOVIES: “The Paper”
I’m not sure how I’ve worked in journalism for as long as I have without seeing “The Paper,” but I’m glad that I recently did! The film provides a fictional day in the life of a newspaper editor, played by Michael Keaton. You immediately get a glimpse at the pressures of the job, the difficulty of the work/life balance, his passion for his industry — and how he copes with it all.
Of course, the movie wouldn’t be complete without the performances of other veteran actors like Glenn Close, Robert Duvall, and Marissa Tomei. Together, they help highlight some of the challenges that historically have (and will continue to) face journalists: Deadlines, corporate budgets, and finding the most relevant stories and delivering them to their audience.
The movie isn’t new; it was released in 1994. Despite its age and a media landscape that looks radically different now, “The Paper” still seems topical: Journalists will always have the enormous responsibility of finding and relaying information that impacts the communities where we live. And this film shows, over the course of one day, some of the people and processes that help make that possible.
JUSTIN BURTON, MBA 