9/3/2010- why is this front page news?

ASSIGNMENT:

JOU3343/REPORTING WORKSHOP: Due Friday, 9/3
Choose a story from the PRINT EDITION of a newspaper that's on the front
page of any section: news, local news, sports, business,
features/lifestyle.
It can be a local daily, a weekly, or a national like the New York
Times.

Please do not all choose the lead story -- the upper right -- because if
you do, we'll have a very boring class.

Think about why the story was run and why it was played the way it was.

Was it important? Was it just interesting? Was it particularly relevant
to all or some readers? What is it about the story or its writing or its
art or anything about it that prompted editors to put it where it is

Post your comments on your blogs and, if possible, a link to the story.
Make sure in your blog posts to describe where the story is on the page
because the online version won't tell us that.
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I chose to pick up my free copy of The New York Times on campus and leafed through some sections. I was immediately interested in the "Weekend Arts, movies and performances" section, and I scanned for which story I liked best and was again immediately interested in a film review for "Going the Distance", the new movie with Drew Barrymore and Justin Long, located on the bottom right of the page. I was immediately interested because I would like to go see that movie this weekend.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/03/movies/03going.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

The article is really not important. This review will not change the world or even my desire to go see it. Whether or not it will sway other people's opinions and in the end cause this movie's box office sales to dwindle, I cannot say. But I doubt it.

It was interesting because I learned more about the movie's background from this article than the previews I've seen. For example, now I know how and where they will meet, that Long plays a music business guy, and that Drew is a newspaper reporter (which increased my need to see this movie like 5-fold). I thought the article was very honest about what they thought, too. My favorite line in the review was, about the two main protagonists, "They are pleasant company: good looking but not too good looking, and funny in the way of real people making jokes rather than comedians doing material." This is one of the most real things I've ever read in a newspaper.

The review is not relevant to all readers, because I'm sure not every male in America is just dying to see this movie. But it is definitely relevant to some, including Drew fans, Justin Long fans, romantic comedy fans and movie fans alike.

No doubt the editors put it on the front page of the section because the movie actually comes into theatres today, and opening day is the perfect time to premiere the story about it.