"In the past twenty years, more than a third of all American newspapers have shuttered; trust in media institutions is now at a historic low. And yet we're still drawn to depictions of reporters onscreen. On this episode of Critics at Large, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz discuss two recent entries into the genre: "The Paper," a workplace comedy from Greg Daniels and Michael Koman set at a failing local newspaper, and "The Lowdown," a crime noir from Sterlin Harjo, about a freelancer and self-styled "truthstorian.""
"They compare these new works with earlier examples to illuminate how the practice-and perception-of journalism has changed. In classics such as "All the President's Men," Fry notes, "The airing of the facts via the news, via this character of the journalist, makes us feel like it's gonna be O.K. Like, the truth is out!" Today, she says, "I'm not sure we treat news-making the same way.""
"Read, watch, and listen with the critics: "The Paper" (2025-)"The Lowdown" (2025-)"All the President's Men" (1976)"The China Syndrome" (1979)"Citizen Kane" (1941)"The Gilded Age" (2022-)"The Office" (2005-13)" ' The Paper' Is Old News," by Inkoo Kang ( The New Yorker)Brian Stelter's Reliable Sources newsletter"Spotlight" (2015)"Succession" (2018-23)"My Undesirable Friends" (2025)404 Media"
More than a third of American newspapers have closed in the past twenty years, and public trust in media institutions sits at historic lows. Contemporary onscreen portrayals of reporters remain culturally compelling despite that decline. Two recent series illustrate contrasting approaches: The Paper is a workplace comedy set at a failing local newspaper, while The Lowdown is a crime noir following a freelance, self-styled "truthstorian." Comparisons with classics like All the President's Men show earlier portrayals framed journalism as airing facts that restore faith, while modern portrayals suggest a changed relationship to news-making and public trust.
Read at The New Yorker
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