From Oscar Wins to Box Office Flops: How Movies Portray Journalism's Evolving Landscape

A decade ago, the film Spotlight garnered critical acclaim, winning Oscars for Best Picture and Best Screenplay at the 2016 Academy Awards. Hailed by this newspaper as the “best film about journalism since All the President’s Men,” it dramatized the Boston Globe’s investigation into historic child abuse cases within the Catholic Church. Today, Spotlight remains a benchmark for industry films, underscoring the value of dedication, collaboration, and persistent investigative work for significant stories. This month saw the release of The Social Reckoning, a film that tackles similar themes. It features a narrative spanning time, involving an investigative journalist from The Wall Street Journal and a disillusioned former Facebook employee turned whistleblower. Together, they aim to expose the algorithmic damage social media can inflict. Much like Spotlight, The Social Reckoning champions the merits of slow-burn investigative reporting. However, journalism takes a backseat to a more extensive examination of the culture within digital platforms, where billions dedicate substantial portions of their lives. It remains uncertain whether The Social Reckoning will achieve lasting recognition or even be remembered in ten years. The film, directed by Aaron Sorkin, contrasts these two worlds and their operational processes, though global audiences have not responded enthusiastically. To date, the movie has underperformed its predecessor, The Social Network, and failed to meet pre-release revenue expectations. My recent viewing at an Abu Dhabi cinema revealed a sparse audience during a weekend afternoon screening. This raises the question: do audiences truly wish to be lectured on the perils of social media in a darkened theater, especially when many intuitively grasp the inherent toxicity of these digital spaces? Despite this awareness, we continue to scroll passively through our feeds for hours on end. It’s conceivable that those who paid to see the film were themselves scrolling through their feeds until the opening credits began—an ironically amusing situation given the movie’s central thesis. Media professionals might still appreciate the film’s laudatory depiction of investigative journalism. Time magazine described it as a “brisk, old-school journalism thriller,” a nod to a film that, in part, celebrates what is referred to in one scene as “the last two minutes of print journalism.” The Wall Street Journal’s review, central to the film’s narrative, characterized it as a sequel “no one saw coming and no one asked for.” This is partly attributed to a societal shift in focus towards artificial intelligence in recent years. In comparison, social media’s harms might be viewed similarly to other societal vices, like excessive tobacco or alcohol consumption, or the overindulgence in processed foods. While most acknowledge the potential harm these substances can cause, many have reached an uneasy acceptance of their own habits. Consequently, The Social Reckoning seems unlikely to secure a place on prominent “best films about journalism” lists, which typically rank Spotlight and All the President’s Men highly. The film’s future reception is uncertain. For a less idealized portrayal of the industry, consider Devil Wears Prada 2, a box-office success earlier this year now available on streaming platforms. It offers a surprisingly accurate depiction of journalism in its later stages, though its primary appeal likely lies in its star-studded cast and homage to the 2006 original. The 2026 comedy-drama opens with layoffs at Anne Hathaway’s fictional newspaper, and the film’s central plot point is quickly broken across Instagram, leading to a public apology delivered via push notifications and alerts. The decline of print media is also a prominent theme. The fictional fashion publication at the film’s core is described as having “stopped being a magazine years ago… we are digital, downloadable, we are in the ether… [we are] content that people scroll past while they eat”—a sharp critique. In this context, digital stories are evaluated based on their visual appeal and ability to reach niche audiences by one faction of the organization, and on clicks and raw data by another. “Did anyone read the piece?” Miranda (Meryl Streep) asks during an editorial meeting early in the film. This question resonates with discussions about audience engagement in every newsroom, as exceptional work doesn't always translate to high performance or impact. When it does, it’s a cause for celebration. In this regard, DWP2 arguably captures the current moment more effectively than Sorkin’s commendable film. The rapid processing, production, and dissemination of information, along with the definitive shift from print being the sole medium to one of many presentation formats, are central. Outsiders might question which portrayal is more accurate, while insiders grapple with understanding audience preferences, formats, and platforms.