The Paper

Allison Brunenmeister

Ab015511@ohio.edu

 Source: Google Images

I really enjoyed the chance to watch the 1994 film The Paper in my J3200 Ethics class. This movie is about the struggles of New York Sun editor Henry Hackett, played by Michael Keaton. Henry Hackett is a struggling editor, trying to balance having a family, being the editor and doing the right thing. When two African American teenagers are accused of murdering two businessmen, The New York Sun is quickly on the job trying to report on the case. Henry Hackett overhears on a police scanner that the arrest of the two African American teens is bogus. 

This faces Henry Hackett with many ethical issues. Some of which include delaying the deadline to get the right story and/or being forced to pick family or the job. Journalists today are faced with the same issues.

To delay or not to delay, that is the question.

 The plot of this story is based around if this news story, accusing these two young teens of murder, should be printed or not.  One of the managers of the New York Sun, Alicia, states in the movie that she doesn’t care if the story they print is true. She thinks that if the story is false, they will issue a re-print the next morning. Hackett knows the story is not true, and deep down, I think Alicia knows that too. Delaying the deadline and paper would cost the New York Sun thousands of dollars. Is that price worth being ethically wrong? Hackett is faced with a hard decision .The University OfOregon explains why deadlines are important to us as journalists. We must meet these deadlines, but also be ethical.

 

Family First?

The other ethical problem I saw was that Henry Hackett was forced to pick between his family and having a career. I think journalists aren’t the only ones who have this struggle in their career! In the movie, Henry Hackett’s wife Martha, who is played by Marisa Tone, is pregnant. She is also a New York Sun writer, but is on leave because she is very close to giving birth to their child. She is not happy with Henry because she feels that he is ignoring her. She is jealous of his relationship with Alicia.  Henry Hackett is forced to try to balance the act of husband and worker.  We, as journalists, must be able to set aside time for family, and set aside time for work.

Overall, I really enjoyed this movie. It showed what a true journalist faces in order to be ethical. It also showed what a true journalist has to go through in everyday life. Ethics is an every day concern for journalists. The reason that we need ethics is summed up in this film.