Today's blog is a little different. Instead of a feature drink I have turned my attention to the feature film Page One: Inside The New York Times. What an incredible experience, to learn about what goes in to the making of a leading seven days a week newspaper.
I think the most interesting thing that I drew from this experience was learning about the company's transition of delivering news through social networking and different digital media outlets. Through watching this film you really start to realize how important it is to stay current through blogging, Twitter, LinkedIn etc if you want to working in the communication community.
I learned a lot through the interviews with Brian Stelter. It is fascinating to think that just through keeping an anonymous blog, at 21 years old he was discovered and is now working for such a huge media mogul. He stresses the importance of social media and staying current. At one point in the movie he talks about how he will go to work and overhear lunchroom chatter about a "breaking news story" that he read on Twitter at midnight, almost twelve hours before that. It just goes to show that by being involved in so many different social media networks it helps you to stay current on information, and gives you a leg up on your competition that might not be using social media techniques.
Stelter says in the movie "I don't know how anybody who is a reporter is not on Twitter." If I would have watching this film in August I wouldn't have had a clue what he is talking about. But with my first month of CreComm behind me, I completely agree. Twitter is just one of many ways that I stay connected now. Twitter is instant updates on anybody and anything that you need to follow (as long as they are on Twitter too!), and to be a great reporter you have to be in the loop.
The most inspiring person that the film follows is media desk reporter David Carr. In my experience he really stole the show with his whit and his triumphant success story. To go from being a drug addict and single parent on welfare raising two children, to a reporter for The New York Times, truly is an amazing accomplishment.
Overall I think that this film is definitely worth seeing, no matter what career path or interest you have. It is important to learn about the history of print news, and how these companies are surviving with the change over to digital media.
CHECK IT OUT!!
Trailer...
If you were to have a drink while watching this documentary - what would it be?
ReplyDeleteIf I were to watch the film at Cinematque again I would probably get a Jones soda!
ReplyDeleteDid you notice all the pop cans and bottles in the film?
ReplyDelete