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Millersville U. to screen ‘Stripped for Parts,’ documentary depicting hedge fund undermining local newspapers

Left, from top: Director Rick Goldsmith; panelists Evan Brandt and Jess King. Right, from top: Panelists Tom Murse, Rob Spicer and Tim Stuhldreher. (Sources: Provided)

Millersville University will screen a documentary this month on a predatory challenge to America’s already struggling local news industry, and the steps journalists are taking to fight back.

The showing will feature a Q&A with the film’s director, Rick Goldsmith, and a panel discussion beforehand with local journalism professionals, including One United Lancaster Editor Tim Stuhldreher.

Stripped for Parts: American Journalism on the Brink” tells the story of secretive hedge fund Alden Global Capital, which has been buying newspapers across the country and profiting by selling their real estate and making deep, crippling cuts in their staffs. Investigative reporters and the NewsGuild union battle to expose the company’s business model and rebuild local reporting as an essential public service.

It is being shown as part of Millersville’s “On Screen | In Person” documentary series on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at The Ware Center, 42 N. Prince St. The screening is presented in partnership with the Steinman Institute for Civic Engagement.

The schedule for the showing is as follows:

Goldsmith’s mission as a filmmaker is to tell stories that encourage social engagement and active participation in community life and the democratic process, and to stimulate young minds to question the world around them. “Stripped for Parts” is the third of a trilogy with journalism themes; the other two are 2009’s “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers,” which was co-produced and co-directed with Judith Ehrlich; and 1996’s “Tell the Truth and Run: George Seldes and the American Press.” Both were nominated for Academy Awards for Best Documentary Feature. 

Tickets are free but required for entry. For tickets, click here or visit the Ware Center or the Millersville University box office during regular business hours.

(Editor’s Note: This article was updated Oct. 16 to correct incorrect information about Goldsmith’s filmography.)