Newspaper movie

Two reasons I have trouble enjoying movies about journalism:

1. If they’re realistic, it seems too much like work.
2. If they’re not realistic, it drives me crazy.

Now I can add a third reason: They’re all the same. Just watch Seth Meyers deconstruct the cliches:

Beginning July 9, Netflix will show a weekly documentary series called “Follow This.” In 15-minute episodes, the show will follow a BuzzFeed reporter working on a story.

Not everyone is convinced people will actually watch it. If it reinforces the notion that journalists go through a lot of drudgery to confirm information before they report it, that could be both helpful and incredibly boring.

Ever watch a TV show about doctors or cops or lawyers or pretty much any other occupation and think, huh, that’s probably exactly like real life? Yeah, me neither.

Barry Smith

Barry Smith, a former reporter and editor in Illinois, Colorado and Nevada, is executive director of the Nevada Press Association.