When Domhnall Gleeson shadowed reporters before starting work as a newspaper editor in “The Paper,” he was surprised at the optimism that’s still evident.

“I’ve always been quite romantic about it as well,” he says of the industry. “But then to see the reality of the day-to-day, it becomes even more impressive … once you’ve seen what people are up against.”

While visiting newspapers in Ohio, Gleeson says he noticed differences between those who were just coming into the business and those who had been around a while. “What they all had in common was they still believe in the foundations of it. That was really useful for Ned — that constant belief that it’s possible” to make a difference.

When the Peacock series begins, Ned Sampson, Gleeson’s character, has been appointed editor of the T

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