ON TV: DIANE HOLLOWAY

High school journalists shine on MTV's 'The Paper'

By Diane Holloway
AMERICAN-STATESMAN TV WRITER
Monday, May 05, 2008

At long last, a reality show that doesn't make my skin crawl. Actually, this one made me stand up and cheer.

MTV's new reality series "The Paper" is poised to become the latest buzz show.

What's so different? It's set in a school, not a bar or a dorm. So? It takes place in a high school newsroom. And? It's about a group of really smart, ambitious, goal-oriented teenagers who freak out over deadlines and grammar more than sex and booze. When was the last time we saw that on reality TV?

As someone who's been toiling in the trenches of journalism for most of her life, this is cause for celebration. "The Paper" tip-toed onto the air three weeks ago, quietly carving its own classy niche on Monday nights.

There's no comparison to "The Real World," MTV's long-running showcase for heavy drinking and dangerous living. Nor is it anything like the semiscripted young-adult saga on the cult fave "The Hills." "The Paper" has a distinct, filmic style with a clever use of music — including "One" from "A Chorus Line" in the opener. It's fresh and unique by anyone's standards.

"These are kids that people could look up to," said Lindsey Bannister, creator/executive producer of "The Paper." "These are not your typical reality kids," she said. "They're not doing this to be stars. They want to show people that it's cool to be smart and that newspapers can be cool."

And how cool is that? Very. There's no mention of the challenges facing newspapers these days, from declining circulation to slumping ad sales, but that's OK. Let the kids keep hope alive.

"The Paper" takes place at Cypress Bay High School in Weston, Fla. The school's newspaper, The Circuit, has won numerous awards. When the series started filming last spring, juniors were competing for the coveted title of editor in chief for their senior year. Seven contenders stood out at that time and have become the main characters. Here's the roster:

Amanda Lorber, overbearing and ambitious. She won the editor in chief position and now rules with a heavy hand. A power-tripper with perhaps too much self-esteem, she has evolved into a character we either love, hate or love to hate.

Alex Augert, managing editor and Amanda's good friend since Hebrew school. A talented writer who loves sports and dreams of working for Sports Illustrated. His relationship with Amanda has strained.

Adam Brock, business/ad manager and the show's drama queen. With Adam, hysteria is always just around the corner. When he's not cramming for Advanced Placement classes and trying out for school musicals, he sells ads in record-breaking profusion.

Giana Pacinelli, gorgeous entertainment editor known for brutal honesty and the desire to be the next Barbara Walters. She's got no patience for Amanda.

Trevor Ballard, a graphics and computer genius, and Giana's boyfriend. His goal is to stay out of the bubbling tension between Amanda and Giana.

Cassia Laham, Amanda's best friend and a crusading journalist who's passionate about free speech and the war in Iraq.

Dan Surgan, staff writer, class clown and humor columnist.

Sure, the Circuit staff engage in gossip and backstabbing. There are hissing, crying and ridiculing. But they also agonize over reporting, writing, ad sales and deadlines. Mostly we see the Circuit staff nurturing their beloved newspaper.

"My passion, other than writing, has always been sports," said Alex (first names are used on the show). "I've been an obsessive sports fan since I was 4 years old, and I saw journalism as a way to combine writing with my love of sports."

The superlanky, bespectacled Alex comes up with a first-person sports story in the show in which he participates in football practice. Nerd-teasing ensues, but no serious injuries. Alex, by the way, will attend Penn State in the fall to study sports journalism.

After "The Paper" premiered last month, Alex and the rest of the "dysfunctional family" of young journalists have walked a red carpet, signed autographs and been on the other side of reporters' questions.

"It's been a roller-coaster experience," said Alex, recently named Florida's Student Journalist of the Year. "In school, people are staring at you, and online some people say some mean things. It's pretty weird seeing yourself on national TV. I hate seeing myself anyway, especially since it's from a year ago. But I've heard from people I haven't talked to in years, and I've gotten more than 1,000 'friend requests' on Facebook. So overall, it's been a really good experience."

How did MTV wind up making a teen reality show set in a newsroom?

"We were looking into clubs to follow, and the newspaper really is a window into everything that's going on in the high school," Bannister said. "It was important for us to have a reputable newspaper, and The Circuit is an award-winning paper. It's a school of over 5,000 students, and these kids are just so passionate about their product."

Bannister said early viewer reaction has been positive. Although MTV hasn't released ratings yet, buzz is building. Eight episodes have been produced, and the future of the show beyond that hasn't been determined. "The Paper" could continue, focusing on the next group of senior editors, or it could follow the current seven players off to college.

For Alex, "The Paper" and high school end when he graduates in a few weeks.

"This newspaper has been three years of my life; my best friendships were formed through the newspaper," Alex said. "It's definitely sad that it's all coming to an end, but I think we'll all stay close after we leave for college. We've produced seven newspapers every year for three years. Seeing the last one will be a moment of sadness but also a moment of triumph."