Journalist, Terrorist or Counter-terrorist? The Perils of Investigative Journalism Post-9/11

[extract] Freedom of information and governmental transparency require champions. Lawyers and even some politicians may fondly believe that they are the self-appointed champions. However, journalists may have at least an equal claim to a leadership role. They may be viewed as unencumbered by the special interests of their client or their political party. More positively, journalists have a special public interest role to play in informing the public