Intent on finding his career path, a rookie reporter struggles to become
a journalist at an Indiana newspaper in 1973. He climbs the ladder from
writing obituaries to covering cops and teacher strikes and murder
trials and community disasters. As he navigates the competitive politics
of the newsroom, he gradually earns the trust of his curmudgeonly city
editor. Along the way, he begins performing with a rock and roll band
and falls in love. The choice between being a musician and a journalist
becomes obvious after he writes a front page story on a job tryout at
the Detroit Free Press.