“House of Cards” is primarily about politics -- old-style power and manipulation in the capital -- but it’s also about journalism, and how the new replaces the old, over and over.

Spoilers throughout: In the 13-episode first season of the original Netflix series, journalist Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) rises quickly from metro reporter at The Washington Herald to be offered the job of chief White House correspondent, which she turns down.

“The White House is where news goes to die,” Zoe tells her editor. The position used to be prestigious “when I was in ninth grade. Now it’s a graveyard.” (more...)

"House of Cards" was filmed in part at the Baltimore Sun's building, where producers built the newsroom for the fictional Washington Herald (not to be confused with The Washington Globe from the 2009 film "State of Play" or the "Washington Capital" in the thriller "The Rules of the Game" by former Washington Post Executive Editor Len Downie Jr.).

Last June Sun reporter David Zurawik wrote he hadn't been able to see the sets -- which weren't in the Sun's newsroom -- but he could see the Herald's sign outside. (more...)