Jeremy Scahill: America’s Premier Investigative Journalist

Introduction

Who is Jeremy Scahill?

Jeremy Scahill stands among the most consequential and controversial investigative journalists of the early twenty-first century, having spent more than three decades documenting America’s secret wars, privatized military operations, and the human toll of covert national security policies. Born into an era of expanding American military engagement abroad and the post-September 11 security state, Scahill has devoted his career to investigative reporting that challenges official government narratives, questions the mechanisms of power, and centers the voices of those affected by American military and intelligence operations. His work exemplifies what he describes as “adversarial journalism”—a reporting philosophy that views government pronouncements with necessary skepticism while rigorously investigating objective facts independent of political narratives or institutional convenience.

Through his acclaimed books, award-winning documentary films, founding roles at two major investigative news organizations, and decades of on-the-ground reporting from global conflict zones, Scahill has established himself as an essential voice in American media—one willing to challenge prevailing institutional consensus, pursue difficult stories despite personal and professional risks, and maintain uncompromising commitment to accountability journalism. His work has influenced policy discussions, shaped public understanding of American military operations, and provided platforms for voices systematically excluded from mainstream media coverage. Whether examining private military contractors, documenting covert drone assassination programs, investigating CIA detention practices, or analyzing the humanitarian consequences of American foreign policy, Scahill has consistently demonstrated that rigorous, independent journalism remains essential for democratic accountability.

This comprehensive article explores Jeremy Scahill’s remarkable career trajectory, his major investigative achievements, his founding roles in influential news organizations, his reporting philosophy, and his ongoing impact on American discourse about war, surveillance, and government accountability.

Quick Info

The Formative Years: Building a Foundation for Accountability Journalism

Early Life and Career Genesis

Jeremy Scahill’s path toward becoming one of America’s most prominent investigative journalists began in the 1990s, a formative period that shaped his understanding of journalism’s role in democratic accountability. Rather than beginning at a prestigious major newspaper or network, Scahill launched his career with Democracy Now!, the independent news program founded by Amy Goodman and Juan González. This choice of starting point proved foundational—working for an explicitly non-corporate, alternative news organization from the beginning established Scahill’s understanding of journalism as an inherently political act, one where editorial independence and commitment to truth superseded corporate or governmental convenience.

Democracy Now! operates according to principles fundamentally different from mainstream commercial news: no advertising, listener-supported funding, explicit anti-establishment positioning, and commitment to covering stories ignored or marginalized by corporate media. Beginning his career in this environment exposed Scahill to a journalism model that prioritizes accountability over access, truth over establishment credibility, and the perspectives of marginalized communities over official narratives. These foundational values would remain constants throughout his career, even as he expanded into larger platforms and more prominent positions.

The 1990s: Witnessing American Military Expansion

The 1990s provided crucial context for Scahill’s emerging worldview. The post-Cold War era brought American military interventions in multiple regions—Somalia, Haiti, the Balkans—with minimal public scrutiny or sustained media investigation. As a correspondent and producer for Democracy Now!, Scahill covered many of these interventions, developing expertise in foreign policy, military operations, and the gap between official government narratives and ground-level reality.

His early reporting in the 1990s established patterns that would characterize his entire career: traveling to conflict zones, conducting interviews with affected populations, investigating official claims through primary research, and presenting perspectives systematically excluded from mainstream American media. This decade of work established his credibility as a foreign correspondent willing to pursue difficult stories in dangerous locations and challenged his commitment to reporting that centers human impact over institutional convenience.

Transition to The Nation

As Scahill’s reputation for rigorous foreign reporting grew, he transitioned to a more prominent position as national security correspondent for The Nation, a long-established magazine of progressive opinion and investigative reporting. The Nation provided a platform with greater reach than Democracy Now! while maintaining explicit commitment to independent, progressive analysis. This position allowed Scahill to expand his investigative scope and develop the deep-dive reporting that would eventually become his signature approach.

Post-9/11 America: The Catalyst for Major Investigations

The National Security State and Privatized Warfare

The September 11 attacks and subsequent American response fundamentally shaped the landscape Scahill would investigate. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the expansion of the national security apparatus, the development of new intelligence programs, and crucially, the enormous growth of private military contracting and private intelligence operations all occurred during this period. These developments provided abundant material for investigative journalism while simultaneously creating an environment where critical reporting on national security issues faced increased pressure and suspicion.

Scahill recognized early that the explosion in private military contracting represented a fundamental transformation of American warfare—one with profound implications for democratic accountability, international law, and human rights. Unlike uniformed military personnel, private contractors operated in ambiguous legal spaces, with limited transparency, minimal public oversight, and significant profit incentives that potentially created perverse incentives regarding conflict escalation or civilian harm.

Building Expertise on Privatized Warfare

Throughout the 2000s, Scahill conducted extensive investigations into private military companies, accumulating interviews, documents, and on-the-ground reporting from Iraq and other conflict zones. He interviewed contractors, military officials, human rights advocates, and affected communities. He pursued Freedom of Information Act requests and investigated corporate structures that allowed private military companies to operate with minimal accountability.

This investigative work culminated in what would become his breakthrough book—one that would establish him as the leading American journalist covering privatized warfare and corporate military operations.

Blackwater: The Breakthrough Investigation

The Investigation and Research Process

In 2007, Jeremy Scahill published Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army, the result of years of investigation into the private military company that had become one of the most influential and controversial contractors in the Iraq War. The book represents rigorous investigative journalism at its finest—combining extensive interviews, corporate and government documents, on-the-ground reporting, and primary research into a comprehensive examination of how a private company had accumulated extraordinary power within American military operations.

Blackwater explores the company’s founding, its rise to prominence during the Iraq War, the various scandals and allegations of civilian harm it faced, the legal ambiguities surrounding its operations, and the profound implications of privatizing warfare. Scahill documents how financial incentives, minimal oversight, and the post-9/11 security environment had allowed a private company to accumulate power traditionally held exclusively by government institutions.

Critical and Commercial Success

Blackwater became an international bestseller, translated into numerous languages and read widely among policymakers, journalists, academics, and general readers interested in American foreign policy and military operations. The book’s success reflected a growing recognition that Scahill had identified and investigated a genuinely important story—one with profound implications for understanding American power, accountability mechanisms, and the transformation of warfare.

The critical reception was similarly strong, with reviewers praising Scahill’s thoroughness, his willingness to pursue difficult reporting in dangerous locations, and his ability to make complex institutional and financial structures comprehensible to general audiences.

The George Polk Award and Industry Recognition

The prestigious George Polk Awards, among the most respected journalism honors in America, recognized Scahill’s work with a 2008 award for his reporting on Blackwater. This recognition from the journalism establishment validated his approach and confirmed that despite his non-mainstream positioning and explicitly critical orientation, serious journalists and institutions recognized his work as exemplary journalism.

The Polk Award carried particular significance because the George Polk Awards explicitly honor investigative journalists who uncover significant truths despite obstacles or resistance from powerful institutions. The award acknowledged that Scahill had done exactly this—pursued an important story about powerful actors, conducted meticulous research, and published findings despite potential pressure from government or corporate interests.

The Intercept: Founding a Major Investigative Institution

The Founding Vision (2014)

In 2014, Jeremy Scahill co-founded The Intercept alongside Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras, establishing what would become one of the most influential independent investigative news organizations of the era. The founding of The Intercept represented a particular moment in American journalism—when Edward Snowden’s revelations about NSA surveillance programs had sparked intense debate about privacy, surveillance, and government transparency.

The Intercept was explicitly founded to pursue the kinds of investigations that traditional corporate media organizations might avoid or marginalize. The organization’s structure—funded initially by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar’s First Look Media organization—provided editorial independence from corporate advertising pressures and the commercial incentives that often constrain traditional media outlets. This funding model and organizational structure allowed The Intercept to pursue investigations that might not generate immediate commercial return but served essential democratic accountability functions.

Scahill’s Role and Contributions

As senior correspondent and later senior editor, Scahill played a central role in The Intercept’s development and direction. He helped establish the organization’s editorial standards, contributed major investigations, and represented The Intercept’s commitment to adversarial journalism and government accountability. His presence lent credibility and established expertise to the new organization, signaling that The Intercept would pursue serious, rigorous investigations into national security and foreign policy issues.

Throughout his ten-year tenure at The Intercept, Scahill continued the investigative work that had characterized his career. He reported on covert military operations, drone assassination programs, CIA practices, and the human costs of American foreign policy. He traveled to conflict zones, conducted interviews with affected communities, and pursued investigations that challenged prevailing narratives about American military and intelligence operations.

The Intercepted Podcast

Beyond written reporting, Scahill established and hosted “Intercepted,” a podcast that allowed him to explore national security issues in depth. The podcast format enabled longer-form discussion, extended interviews with sources, and sustained investigation of complex topics—formats that traditional news cycles often don’t accommodate. Through the podcast, Scahill reached audiences who consumed news through audio rather than written articles, expanding his influence and accessibility.

Dirty Wars: Documenting Covert Operations

The Investigation and Book

Building on the success of Blackwater and his continued investigations into American military and intelligence operations, Scahill published Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield in 2013. The book provides comprehensive documentation of covert U.S. counterterrorism operations, focusing particularly on assassination programs, drone strikes, targeted killings, and the human consequences of these operations.

Dirty Wars extends Scahill’s investigative scope beyond private contractors to examine government-directed operations. The book documents the expansion of American military operations into multiple countries—Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan, and others—often with minimal public knowledge or congressional oversight. Scahill investigates the legal frameworks that authorized these operations, the decision-making processes behind specific targeting decisions, and the impact on civilian populations.

The Documentary Film and Academy Recognition

Recognizing the power of visual media to communicate complex stories, Scahill co-produced a documentary film adaptation of Dirty Wars, released in 2013. The film brings together interviews, archival footage, and cinematography to tell the story of covert American military operations and their human costs. The documentary features interviews with U.S. officials, military personnel, human rights advocates, and crucially, civilians affected by drone strikes and targeted killings.

The Dirty Wars documentary received significant critical acclaim and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature—one of cinema’s highest honors. While it did not win the Oscar, the nomination represented extraordinary recognition of Scahill’s work and the documentary’s significance. The nomination confirmed that serious filmmakers and cultural institutions recognized the documentary’s importance and artistic quality.

Expanding Understanding of Covert Operations

Both the book and film significantly expanded public understanding of American covert military operations. Before Dirty Wars, many Americans had only vague awareness of drone strike programs or targeted killings. The documentary and book made these operations visible, provided specific examples, and centered the voices of those affected—civilian survivors, relatives of those killed, and others bearing the human costs of these operations.

This work established Scahill as the leading American journalist investigating covert counterterrorism operations. His investigations provided the evidence base for subsequent policy debates about drone strikes, assassination programs, and the expansion of military operations without formal congressional authorization.

Major Investigations and Reporting Achievements

Yemen and Regional Conflicts

Throughout his career, Scahill has conducted extensive reporting on regional conflicts, particularly in Yemen. Yemen has become increasingly significant in understanding American military operations—as a location where the U.S. has conducted drone strikes, supported regional allies’ military operations, and maintained significant intelligence presence. Scahill’s reporting has documented the human toll of these operations, including civilian casualties, and has investigated the decision-making processes behind specific operations.

His Yemen reporting exemplifies his approach: traveling to the country despite security risks, conducting interviews with affected populations, investigating official claims through primary research, and presenting perspectives excluded from mainstream American media coverage.

Somalia and the Horn of Africa

Somalia has similarly been central to Scahill’s investigations. The U.S. has maintained counterterrorism operations in Somalia for decades, often with minimal public scrutiny. Scahill’s reporting has documented these operations, their impact on Somali civilians, and the complex political and security situation that shapes American involvement.

Afghanistan and Iraq

Scahill’s foundational work on privatized warfare drew extensively from reporting in Iraq. His investigations there documented private military contractors’ operations, their relationship with U.S. military forces, and the controversies surrounding their conduct. Similarly, his Afghanistan reporting has examined American military operations, their evolution over time, and the human costs of the prolonged conflict.

NATO Expansion and European Conflicts

Beyond Middle Eastern and African conflicts, Scahill has reported on NATO expansion, its implications for Russia, and conflicts in Eastern Europe. His reporting has provided context for understanding American military positioning and strategic interests in Europe, often challenging prevailing narratives about NATO’s defensive nature and necessity.

Adversarial Journalism Philosophy

Defining the Approach

Central to understanding Jeremy Scahill’s work is his explicit commitment to what he terms “adversarial journalism”—a reporting philosophy that fundamentally rejects the notion of journalistic neutrality as traditionally understood. Rather than viewing journalism as objective presentation of “both sides” of an issue, adversarial journalism views official government narratives with necessary skepticism, recognizes power imbalances in who gets heard in mainstream discourse, and actively seeks to amplify voices and perspectives systematically excluded or marginalized.

Scahill argues that truly objective journalism requires this adversarial stance. Institutions with vast resources—governments, corporations, military organizations—can effectively control information and shape narratives to their advantage. Journalists willing to simply transmit official statements or “both sides” of disputes effectively serve as amplification mechanisms for powerful institutions. Genuine objectivity, in this view, requires actively working to counter imbalances in what information reaches the public.

The Role of Government Accountability

Adversarial journalism as practiced by Scahill places particular emphasis on government accountability. Rather than deferring to government claims or official processes, adversarial journalists investigate whether government statements align with facts, whether government decisions serve the public interest, and whether government actions comply with laws and constitutional principles.

This approach proves particularly important regarding national security and military operations, where government secrecy and claims of security concerns often prevent public scrutiny. Scahill argues that in democracies, the public has a fundamental right to know what government does in their name, particularly regarding military operations and foreign policy. Adversarial journalism serves the essential democratic function of ensuring that secret government activities remain subject to public scrutiny and accountability.

Critics and Defenders

The concept of adversarial journalism has attracted both strong defenders and critics. Defenders argue that it represents essential journalism—willingness to challenge power and seek truth regardless of institutional consequences. Critics sometimes argue that it represents a loss of objectivity or that identifying as adversarial to government compromises journalistic credibility.

Scahill’s response has been consistent: the notion of journalistic neutrality toward power is itself a political choice that advantages powerful institutions. True journalism requires making choices about what to investigate, who to interview, and what narratives to challenge. Rather than pretending neutrality is possible, Scahill argues, journalists should be explicit about their commitment to accountability and truth-seeking, regardless of whose power might be challenged.

Impact on Policy and Public Understanding

Influencing Drone Strike Policy

Scahill’s investigations into drone strikes and targeted killings have significantly influenced policy discussions and public understanding. His reporting documented civilian casualties from drone strikes, identified cases where targeting decisions appeared questionable, and raised legal and ethical questions about assassination programs. These investigations contributed to Congressional inquiries, policy debates, and increased scrutiny of drone strike programs.

While official policies haven’t necessarily changed in response to his reporting, Scahill’s work has made it impossible for policymakers to claim that drone programs operate without civilian harm or that these operations remain unknown to the American public.

Exposing Private Military Contractor Operations

Blackwater and subsequent reporting on private military contractors fundamentally changed public discourse on this issue. Before Scahill’s investigations, many Americans had little understanding of private military companies’ role in American military operations. His work established this as a significant policy issue, contributing to subsequent government investigations, Congressional inquiries, and increased scrutiny of contractor conduct and oversight.

Challenging Foreign Policy Narratives

More broadly, Scahill’s reporting has challenged prevailing American narratives about foreign policy. By documenting American military and intelligence operations that official narratives often omit or minimize, he has provided alternative frameworks for understanding American power and foreign policy. This reporting suggests that official narratives frequently obscure or minimize American military activities, operations that might be illegal under international law, or operations that cause significant civilian harm.

Drop Site News: The Latest Chapter (2024)

Founding and Vision

In July 2024, after a decade at The Intercept, Jeremy Scahill co-founded Drop Site News alongside journalists Ryan Grim and Nausicaa Renner. The new organization represents another evolution in Scahill’s career—moving from a major independent news organization backed by significant funding to a reader-funded model that positions the organization as accountable primarily to its audience rather than to wealthy funders or institutional interests.

Drop Site News is explicitly positioned as a “non-aligned, anti-establishment digital newsroom.” This framing represents Scahill’s continued commitment to independent journalism that doesn’t align with any political party or established institution. The organization focuses on global conflicts, holding the powerful accountable, and covering stories that mainstream media marginalize or ignore.

Reader-Funded Model

The decision to establish Drop Site News as reader-funded rather than depending on wealthy donors reflects important commitments about editorial independence. Reader funding means the organization must maintain audience trust and deliver journalism its readers value. It also prevents any single funder from exercising disproportionate influence over editorial decisions.

This funding model represents a return to journalism’s grassroots funding principles—journalism funded by readers who support the work’s importance, rather than by institutional or wealthy interests. In an era where traditional media business models have collapsed, reader funding represents an attempt to rebuild sustainable journalism based on audience support.

Current Reporting Focus

Drop Site News focuses on global conflicts, foreign policy, and holding the powerful accountable—entirely consistent with Scahill’s career priorities. The organization has provided extensive reporting on Gaza, including investigating ceasefire negotiations, humanitarian situations, and Western media narratives about the conflict. This reporting exemplifies Scahill’s approach: investigating official narratives critically, providing context often excluded from mainstream American coverage, and centering the experiences of affected populations.

Controversies and Criticisms

Challenges to Credibility and Approach

While Jeremy Scahill’s work has earned significant acclaim and numerous awards, it has also attracted criticism and controversy. Some critics argue that his explicitly adversarial stance toward government compromises journalistic objectivity. Others suggest that his focus on American military and intelligence operations represents a particular political perspective rather than balanced reporting.

Government and military officials have sometimes disputed his reporting, claiming inaccuracies or arguing that his investigations oversimplify complex security situations. Intelligence community critics have argued that his reporting on classified programs potentially damages national security interests.

Responses and Defense

Scahill’s responses to these criticisms have been consistent. He argues that reporting accurately on government operations necessarily appears “adversarial” only to those committed to government narratives. He maintains that his reporting undergoes rigorous fact-checking and that criticisms of his work rarely identify specific inaccuracies but rather dispute his interpretation or emphasis.

Regarding national security concerns, Scahill has argued that the principle of government secrecy cannot justify preventing public knowledge of operations conducted in citizens’ names. He distinguishes between reporting that reveals operationally sensitive information compromising ongoing missions and reporting that reveals government operations conducted without proper oversight or authorization.

Awards, Recognition, and Industry Impact

Major Journalism Awards

Beyond the George Polk Award, Jeremy Scahill has received numerous journalism honors recognizing his investigative work. His consistent recognition from prestigious journalism institutions validates his approach and confirms that serious journalists recognize his work as exemplary.

Influence on Contemporary Journalism

Scahill’s career has significantly influenced contemporary investigative journalism. His demonstrated commitment to pursuing difficult stories despite institutional pressure, his willingness to challenge prevailing narratives, and his effectiveness at making complex national security issues comprehensible have established a model for investigative journalists. Numerous journalists cite his work as inspiration for their own investigations.

Platform for Marginalized Voices

Through his journalism, Scahill has provided platforms for voices systematically excluded from mainstream American discourse—Afghan and Iraqi civilians affected by American military operations, Yemeni survivors of drone strikes, whistleblowers exposing government wrongdoing, and others bearing consequences of American military and intelligence operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Career and Background

Q: What makes Jeremy Scahill’s journalism approach distinctive?

A: Scahill practices what he calls “adversarial journalism”—actively investigating government claims, challenging official narratives, and pursuing stories that challenge powerful institutions. Rather than pretending journalistic neutrality is possible, he’s explicit about his commitment to government accountability and truth-seeking.

Q: How did Scahill begin his journalism career?

A: Scahill began in the 1990s at Democracy Now!, an independent news program. This early experience in alternative journalism shaped his approach and commitment to covering stories marginalized by mainstream media.

Q: What organizations has Scahill founded?

A: He co-founded The Intercept in 2014 (alongside Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras) and Drop Site News in 2024 (alongside Ryan Grim and Nausicaa Renner).

Q: What is Drop Site News?

A: Drop Site News, founded in 2024, is a reader-funded, independent digital newsroom focused on global conflicts and holding the powerful accountable. It operates as non-aligned and explicitly anti-establishment.

Major Works

Q: What is “Blackwater” about?

A: Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army (2007) investigates the private military company Blackwater, its rise during the Iraq War, and the implications of privatizing warfare. The book won the George Polk Award.

Q: What does “Dirty Wars” cover?

A: Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield (2013) documents covert U.S. counterterrorism operations, including drone strikes, targeted killings, and their human costs. The accompanying documentary was nominated for an Academy Award.

Q: What is the “Intercepted” podcast?

A: Intercepted, hosted by Jeremy Scahill, is a podcast that explores national security and foreign policy issues in depth. It was launched through The Intercept.

Reporting Focus

Q: What regions has Scahill reported from?

A: Scahill has reported extensively from Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, Nigeria, and the former Yugoslavia. He’s conducted on-the-ground reporting in major conflict zones throughout his career.

Q: What are the main subjects of Scahill’s investigations?

A: His investigations focus on U.S. foreign policy, covert military operations, drone strikes, private military contractors, CIA practices, and the human costs of American military and intelligence operations.

Q: Has Scahill’s reporting influenced policy?

A: His reporting has contributed to Congressional inquiries, policy debates, and increased scrutiny of programs he’s investigated. While direct policy changes are difficult to attribute, his work has made these issues impossible to ignore.

Credibility and Criticism

Q: How does Scahill respond to criticism that his journalism isn’t objective?

A: Scahill argues that complete objectivity regarding power is impossible and that truly objective journalism requires actively investigating powerful institutions and challenging official narratives. He maintains his reporting undergoes rigorous fact-checking.

Q: Has Scahill faced legal challenges to his reporting?

A: While his reporting has sometimes provoked official responses or disputes from government agencies, he has maintained the accuracy of his major investigations. Government disputes typically concern interpretation rather than factual inaccuracy.

Q: What do mainstream media outlets think of Scahill?

A: Mainstream media outlets have respect for his investigative work while sometimes maintaining editorial distance from his explicitly anti-establishment positioning. He’s been featured on major news programs discussing his reporting.

Impact and Influence

Q: What is Scahill’s influence on contemporary journalism?

A: Scahill’s career has established a model for adversarial, accountability-focused investigative journalism. Many contemporary journalists cite his work as inspiration for challenging powerful institutions.

Q: How has Scahill influenced public understanding of national security issues?

A: His investigations have made Americans aware of operations and programs that were previously unknown to the public, directly influencing how citizens understand American military and intelligence operations.

Q: What distinguishes Scahill from other national security journalists?

A: Scahill combines rigorous investigative reporting with explicit commitment to anti-establishment perspectives and willingness to challenge prevailing narratives. He also combines written reporting, book-length investigations, documentary films, and podcasting into a comprehensive investigative approach.

Conclusion

Jeremy Scahill represents an essential model of investigative journalism in contemporary America—one committed to government accountability, truth-seeking regardless of institutional consequences, and amplifying voices systematically excluded from mainstream discourse. Over more than three decades, he has documented America’s secret wars, investigated the privatization of military operations, exposed covert counterterrorism programs, and challenged prevailing narratives about American foreign policy and military power.

His work—from the groundbreaking investigations in Blackwater and Dirty Wars to his ongoing reporting through Drop Site News—has significantly influenced how Americans understand military operations conducted in their names. By traveling to conflict zones, conducting interviews with affected populations, investigating official claims through primary research, and presenting perspectives systematically excluded from mainstream media, Scahill has demonstrated that rigorous investigative journalism can challenge even the most powerful institutions.

The founding of Drop Site News in 2024 represents not an ending but a continuation and evolution of his career mission. Continuing his commitment to adversarial journalism, government accountability, and reader-supported independence, Scahill remains engaged in documenting global conflicts and holding powerful institutions accountable.

Whether one agrees with every aspect of his reporting or perspective, the fundamental importance of his work is difficult to dispute. In an era when government secrecy and corporate media consolidation threaten public understanding of consequential issues, journalists like Jeremy Scahill who remain committed to accountability and truth-seeking serve essential democratic functions. His career demonstrates that independent, rigorous investigative journalism remains possible and vital, even when it challenges powerful institutions and prevailing narratives.

As American foreign policy, military operations, and intelligence programs continue to evolve, Jeremy Scahill’s investigations and reporting will remain valuable for citizens seeking to understand what governments do in their names and what impact those actions have on people around the world. His work ultimately rests on a simple premise: in democracies, the public has a right to know what their government does, and journalists have a responsibility to investigate and report on those actions regardless of institutional consequences.