Page One: Inside The New York Times

An aging ex-crack addict learns the mechanics of Twitter from a portly blogger turned star journalist. A weary editor weighs legal action versus truth when unscrupulous business practices cry for exposure. An earnest kid departs for Baghdad, and an historic deal is struck with a self-proclaimed activist who turns to YouTube with disturbing military videos.

Just another day at The New York Times.

Long regarded as a beacon of integrity in media, the paper isn't immune to what many are calling the death of journalism. In the past few years, advertising revenue took a nosedive and employees of two and three decades were let go — just like everywhere else. Not to mention a little thing called the Internet where, one columnist notes, "the medium isn't the message anymore, the message is the medium."

Yet if this mesmerizing documentary is any indication, The New York Times isn't going anywhere — at least for a while. Whether it means fighting for headlines in twice-daily meetings or staying late to determine whether "breaking news" from Afghanistan is actually a PR move, the surviving staff are warriors, dedicated to providing up-to-the-minute coverage of what the public needs to know. Even if this means holding the hand of WikiLeaks mastermind Julian Assange, whom some reporters refer to as a partner and others dismiss as a source.

No doubt "Page One" will be marketed as a specialty piece, a niche film for those interested in writing and the probable decline of print media. However, I'd argue the opposite: This film should be viewed by all. Every second of every day, a universe of information is at our fingertips. Watch those who make a vocation of getting it right.

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