
By Mark Mittelstadt
My favorite continues to be The Paper. In just under two hours, the 1994 film touches on multiple journalism idiosyncrasies and truths: the rush to get (and of getting) the story; professional jealousies; the dysfunctional daily news planning meeting, predictably held too close to deadline; most journalists cheating loved ones out of time and attention as they chase the love/hate of their chosen profession; the fight over seemingly minor things (a staffer’s chair, a stapler); reliance on Coke (although my preference was Diet Coke) to get through a hectic news day.