PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES Review

As someone who grew up with newsprint on my fingertips, Andrew Rossi's documentary Page One: Inside The New York Times holds a special interest for me and members of my generation, the ones that came of age before the Internet permanently affected the way the newspaper industry functions. We no longer need to rely upon one or two local newspapers to disseminate information on a daily basis; the biggest challenge nowadays is cutting through the clutter. Which voice(s) do you trust?

In my youth, I trusted in newspapers. As I grew older, education revealed that newspapers are owned by people and / or multinational organizations with vested interests; experience taught me that newspapers are not entirely objective. Today I know not to trust any news source absolutely; at best, you hope that a good track record in the past will serve as an indicator of future intentions.

The New York Times has long enjoyed a reputation as the newspaper of record in the United States, and so any opportunity to burrow inside for an extended period of time is welcome. Andrew Rossi, who previously made two Manhattan restaurant-oriented docs, is not looking to make an expose on the corporate secrets of a giant media organization. He's more interested in serving up a meat-and-potatoes approach, following charismatic media reporter David Carr as he does his job, which consists of making phone calls, talking with his editor and fellow reporters, and writing on his computer. There's an underlying assumption that, because of the exalted status of The New York Times, anything a Times reporter does will be inherently interesting.

Fortunately, Rossi listened to Carr, who urged the filmmaker to widen his interest to other reporters and the larger questions that concern media followers: Will The New York Times survive? If not, what effect will that have on journalism and the public interest? Can old-school publishing companies transition to the new online world of social media?

The documentary does not answer those questions, but at least it raises them, and allows a good variety of interview subjects to get a word in edgewise on the issues. Rossi also provides context for the pressures faced by the newspaper industry, though I think that Stop the Presses, a documentary by Mark Birnbaum and Manny Mendoza, did a much better job -- and that was three years ago.

Page One benefits immeasurably by having David Carr as a central character. He has no hesitation in pausing an interview so he can forcefully tell off the interviewee, whom he believes to be disrespectful toward the Times. He came to the Times late in his professional career, and so has the convert's zealous faith in his new Lord and Master. But he also comes across as an entirely sincere man, at least at this point of his life, a straight shooter who will keep digging for the truth and endeavor to be fair, no matter what.

The segments that feature Carr at work -- in his cubicle, conferring in his editor's office, speaking on a panel at SXSW, giving a speech at a journalism conference in his old stomping grounds of Minneapolis, Minnesota -- are high points, but the documentary as a whole is quite lively, whether it's interviewing competitors or allowing other reporters a moment in the sun.

Admittedly, I'm biased. To quote a portion of my review for Stop the Presses: "I've been a newspaper junkie / advocate my entire life. I'll never forget the Los Angeles Times employee who took the time to type a kindly response to the horrid cartoon I submitted for publication when I was seven years old, or my sorrow when the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner folded many years ago, or the joy of reading the print edition of the New York Times every day in the quiet of my old office, or my bewilderment at the first copy of USA Today, or the shock when a travel columnist published an excerpt from my letter in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram."

Having said that, Page One is essential viewing for my fellow junkies / advocates, whether you read the news online or in print.

Page One: Inside The New York Times opens in New York tomorrow before expanding in limited release. Check the official site for theater listings, release dates, and more information.