Like OMG, this just in: The Paper
MTV's latest teen-angst driven reality series seems to be squandering a unique opportunity to deal with actual issues.
Jacob Kriss
Issue date: 4/17/08 Section: Opinion
Real kids? Fine. Real editorial issues? I'm not so sure. In the course of the first episode (which in 22 minutes featured perhaps two close-up shots of the actual paper, one of them on a headline saying something about cheerleaders and pom-poms), the only item related to newspaper production was a mini-crisis about grayscale, the shading sometimes put behind articles to differentiate them from the rest of the content. The rest? Mean phone calls, teenage angst, backstabbing galore, etc. Of course, with a staff consisting of hormonal post-pubescents, this material was bound to play a role, but would it be terrible, MTV, to show viewers something, anything, relating to real journalism? Granted, I've only seen the first episode, so there's time for the show to redeem itself, but given the content it's pretty clear the approach the producers are taking.
In this era of declining circulation, dropping ad revenue and Jayson Blair debacles, newspapers need young people's interest more than ever, and the show's an incredible opportunity to facilitate that. What better chance to teach teens that to be successful, you don't need to be beautiful and rich? Unfortunately, after the first episode The Paper seems well on its way to fumbling the ball.
The opening moments of the first episode featured a voiceover from Amanda claiming, "Journalists are the most important people in the world." OK, MTV. Perhaps we could get a little bit about why that may or may not be the case? No, wait. Giana's making out with her boyfriend (like, in the office!). You should probably cut to that instead.
Jacob Kriss is a senior English major who thinks the best use for The Paper would be to roll it up and smack its producers in the face with it.
In this era of declining circulation, dropping ad revenue and Jayson Blair debacles, newspapers need young people's interest more than ever, and the show's an incredible opportunity to facilitate that. What better chance to teach teens that to be successful, you don't need to be beautiful and rich? Unfortunately, after the first episode The Paper seems well on its way to fumbling the ball.
The opening moments of the first episode featured a voiceover from Amanda claiming, "Journalists are the most important people in the world." OK, MTV. Perhaps we could get a little bit about why that may or may not be the case? No, wait. Giana's making out with her boyfriend (like, in the office!). You should probably cut to that instead.
Jacob Kriss is a senior English major who thinks the best use for The Paper would be to roll it up and smack its producers in the face with it.
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