Turn to Page One to Begin the Lesson

In an attempt to model a blog post after the way Ken Levine does things, here are some thoughts on Page One: A Year Inside the New York Times.

I was a little concerned when I saw a title credit for History Films as the History channel is flooded with shows about pawn shops, semi-trailers and how aliens maybe helped build Egypt's pyramids.  Gladly, no pawnbrokers, truckers or E.T.s to be had.

A more appropriate title for the doc would be Media Desk: A Year Following David Carr of the New York Times. 

Carr is a recovered drug addict that doesn't pull punches.  A TV show of him going about his daily routine would probably be the highest rated show ever. 

This wouldn't be half as interesting if it didn't cover the year the WikiLeaks became important.

Normally I'd be inclined to blur the plate in a picture of a car I took a photo of, but anyone who is that big a supporter of WikiLeaks has an uphill battle proving to me that his privacy is somehow more important than stolen diplomatic cables.

The doc introduced me to newser.com.  Its ok, but I prefer the low-tech and more Canadian bourque.org. 

Watch the background in shots featuring an editor named Bruce Hedlam.  There seemed to be a different bottle of pills on his desk everytime he is shown in his office.

But don't worry about him, he's Canadian so he can always come back for some health care.

Film maker Rossi threw in some archival footage of all those old white guys slaving away working at a news paper.  In 50 years the same could be said of Page One.

Maybe that's not fair, a couple of them weren't old.

The doc points out the paywall.  Google NYTClean if you want to see how $40-50 million of software engineering was undone with four lines of computer code.

But there are no torrents to download Page One.  Give it time.

There were those update cards for a couple guys at the end, but not everyone.  I like it when I find out what happens to everyone, sometimes the most surprising people end up as state senators.  When in New York, visit The New York Times (ask for Dave).