Series synopsis
The Fourth Estate is an American documentary television series that premiered on Showtime on May 27, 2018. It ended on June 17, 2018. It stars Maggie Haberman, Arthur Gregg Sulzberger, Elisabeth Bumiller and Dean Baquet.
Explore the process and progress of The New York Times and its journalists in covering the Trump administration. Through extraordinary access, on-the-scene filmmaking, and exclusive sit-down interviews, this documentary series illuminates critical issues facing journalism today – including the challenge to the bedrock concept of truth, the changing role of the media, and the Times’ response to President Trump’s war of words.
Premise
Explore the process and progress of The New York Times and its journalists in covering the Trump administration. Through extraordinary access, on-the-scene filmmaking, and exclusive sit-down interviews, this documentary series illuminates critical issues facing journalism today – including the challenge to the bedrock concept of truth, the changing role of the media, and the Times’ response to President Trump’s war of words.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Maggie Haberman as Self - Ny Times White House Correspondent
- Arthur Gregg Sulzberger as Self - NY Times Publisher
- Elisabeth Bumiller as Self - NY Times Washington Bureau Chief
- Dean Baquet as Self - NY Times Executive Editor
- Donald Trump as Self - 45th U.S. President
Episodes
This series spans 1 season with 4 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 4 | May 27, 2018 | June 17, 2018 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
First 100 Days As Donald Trump takes the oath of office, The New York Times’ New York and Washington bureaus prepare to cover an administration unlike any other. The role that Russia played in the 2016 election quickly emerges as a storyline that will continue to unfold. In this fiercely competitive environment, The Times and The Washington Post vie for scoops while overtaxed journalists work to develop sources inside a volatile administration. Meanwhile, the paper faces economic challenges as it continues to adapt to a digital world. |
May 27, 2018 |
| 2 |
The Trump Bump Shortly after FBI director James Comey is fired, The Times is on to a huge scoop with ongoing reverberations regarding Comey’s memos about his meetings with President Trump. Things are made more dire when The Times reveals details of a secret meeting between members of the Trump campaign and a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin. But even as The Times drives this shocking flow of new information, it continues to squarely address its own inner challenges. Can The Times adapt to a digital future without losing something vital in the process? |
June 3, 2018 |
| 3 |
American Carnage As violence erupts in Charlottesville, the president’s unwillingness to denounce the racist hate groups presents a new test for journalists. Trump blames the “failing New York Times” and “crooked media” for distorting his speech and further deepening the country’s divisions. Meanwhile, Steve Bannon exits the White House and a Times reporter questions where his populist revolution is headed now, as the paper deals with reining in its own reporters on Twitter. |
June 10, 2018 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | Showtime |
|---|---|
| First aired | May 27, 2018 |
| Last aired | June 17, 2018 |
| Runtime | 90 minutes |
| Status | ended |