"The reporter wrote with the hope that he would get a by-line in the Times, a testimony to his being alive on that day and all the tomorrows of microfilm"

In this quote, Gay Talese catches the profound aspiration and existential yearning that typically sustain a reporter's work. The mention of a "by-line in the Times" isn't practically professional achievement or acknowledgment; it's emblematic of a deeper desire for immortality through one's work. For a press reporter, a by-line represents not simply authorship but a personal stamp of existence in the world-- it's an assertion that the author exists and contributes meaningfully to society.

The phrase "a statement to his being alive on that day" highlights this need for recognition and legacy. In an ever-changing world, where yesterday's news rapidly fades into obscurity, having one's name related to a piece in a distinguished publication like The Times acts as a historical marker. It guarantees that the writer's concepts and observations are maintained, a minimum of briefly, in the public consciousness.

This desire extends "to all the tomorrows of microfilm". Microfilm, and more contemporarily, digital archives, signify the perpetuation of one's work beyond their life time. It suggests a hope that future generations may come across these preserved works, granting the author a type of posthumous life. The concept isn't just to be remembered, but to have affected the world enough to be worthwhile of memory.

In essence, Talese's words expose the human yearning for acknowledgment and the fear of oblivion. For journalists, their articles become a means to transcend their instant reality, to assert their existence not just in the fleeting present but also in the large area of the future. This ambition is not entirely about individual ego but talks to a universal yearning to find one's place and ensure that one's voice echoes through time.