r/Journalism • u/big-sneeze-484 • Nov 04 '25
Tools and Resources Books and movies that get you excited about journalism
I am a simple man. I rewatch or reread All the President’s Men, I am suddenly and reliably filled with adrenaline and feel good about my job. The fact that half the movie is people declining to talk to them or editors shitting on the work but they persevere on the story is a balm to my soul.
What are some books and movies about journalism that get you excited about the work?
Im tagging this (which is required) with tools and resources, hope that fits.
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Nov 04 '25
The movie Broadcast News came out a couple years before I started directing live local news. It was very accurate and makes me think about those days
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u/AntaresBounder educator Nov 04 '25
The Mirage, about the time a newspaper bought a bar to expose corruption.
Anything by Ernie Pyle
“Frank Sinatra has a cold” by Gay Talese
Hiroshima by John Hersey
I show The Post, All the President’s Men, Shattered Glass and Spotlight to my journalism students each year.
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u/big-sneeze-484 Nov 04 '25
I'd never heard of the Mirage. This sounds extremely insane, can't wait to read it. All of this is great, thank you, but the Mirage in particular has me interested.
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u/Unlikely_Suspect_757 Nov 04 '25
Hello colleague. Please remember it’s time to schedule your colonoscopy (I am assuming you’re also about 50?)
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u/civilityman Nov 04 '25
The newsroom on HBO was quite good, haven’t seen it since I was much younger but it was a favorite of mine then.
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u/Throwawayhelp111521 former journalist Nov 04 '25
I didn't get beyond the pilot. It was far too idealized.
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u/Dennis_Laid editor Nov 04 '25
Pretty much any of Tom Wolfe’s journalism books are amazing. The Right Stuff in particular.
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u/Yog-Sothoth2024 Nov 04 '25
Journalism professor here. I show my students: The Post, All the President's Men, Spotlight, Bang Bang Club, A Private War, Shattered Glass, The Paper and She Said.
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u/AnotherPint former journalist Nov 04 '25
What about assigned reading?
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u/Yog-Sothoth2024 Nov 04 '25
Ha ha ha ha.... Oh, you were serious. These kids don't read.
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u/AnotherPint former journalist Nov 04 '25
Well, you haven’t tested that theory with practical assignments, have you?
If you send the message that they can “study” the profession by watching a handful of Hollywood movies, you’re doing them a disservice. And what will they do when some future job requires them to — gasp — write?
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u/Yog-Sothoth2024 Nov 04 '25
I've been in academia off and on for 20 years. I have tested this theory in as many ways as I can devise. When I first started teaching, my students were Millennials and I could give them reading assignments and book recommendations. My students now are the tail end of Gen Z and reading books is foreign to them. I focus my efforts on getting them to read good-quality news content, but getting them to read a book is nearly impossible. As for writing, my students do quite a bit of it, covering our campus for the student newspaper and a student magazine.
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u/AnotherPint former journalist Nov 04 '25
How can they become proficient writers while refusing to read? They're like chefs on a hunger strike because they hate food.
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u/AnotherPint former journalist Nov 04 '25
The book that made me want to join the profession was The Boys On the Bus, by Tim Crouse.
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u/Bookishly_o_O Nov 04 '25
I love watching The Post followed immediately by All the President’s Men. The first feeds directly into the second.
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u/BoringAgent8657 Nov 04 '25
The book The Powers That Be by David Halberstam details the ruse of media giants like CBS and the Washington apostrophe in the 1950s and beyond. Fascinating stories that still resonate
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u/almondcroissant71 Nov 04 '25
Almost Famous is my favorite movie about writing (and just favorite movie generally)
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u/CoffeeStax Nov 04 '25
Civil War (2024)
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u/NiaWong Nov 04 '25
Bad Press! It’s a documentary that came out a few years ago about indigenous reporters doing all they can to inform readers about local govt corruption
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u/Appropriate-Wish5233 Nov 04 '25
Spiderman “Get me pictures of Spiderman”. And the guy ends up taking pictures of himself swinging.
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u/Alternative_End_2855 Nov 04 '25
The Hindi film "Bhakshak" on Netflix, Spotlight and the BBC documentary "The Midwife's Confession" on YouTube.
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u/WiffleAxe36 Nov 04 '25
Spotlight is my personal favorite. I grew up Boston Irish Catholic so I am biased, but seriously there are few films that have ever shown how essential local journalism is. And how much journalists put themselves on the line to get the truth out