What Does Journalism Choose When Covering War?

As U.S.-Israel and Iran war negotiations collapse and President Donald Trump demands a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, independent journalist Amy Goodman speaks out. "What I care about is the answer. And the fact that people in this country don't get health care at the same time that money goes to kill others in another country."

Goodman is the subject of a new documentary titled "Steal This Story, Please!" which chronicles her life, journalism career, and the founding of independent news program "Democracy Now!" — now celebrating its 30th anniversary.

Why Independent Media Matters Now

Goodman's message goes beyond a single journalist's retrospective. It is a direct critique of mainstream media outlets that censor themselves to appease advertisers and the powerful. She distills this into the phrase "access of evil" — the practice of trading truth for the privilege of proximity to power.

"Many journalists and news outlets don't ask tough questions to maintain what I call the 'access of evil — trading truth for access,'" she said. "Then it's not worth being there at all. It's our job to hold those in power to account."

Her words resonate sharply in today's media environment. According to multiple reports, major U.S. broadcasters receive millions in advertising from weapons manufacturers, energy companies, and financial institutions. Goodman confronts this structural problem head-on. "We can't have weapons manufacturers who provide millions to networks to advertise determining our coverage of war. We can't have oil, gas, and coal companies determining our coverage of climate change, or banks determining how we cover inequality. We need an independent media."

30 Years of Democracy Now!: A Lineage of Independent Journalism

The history of Democracy Now! parallels the history of the American independent media movement. Starting as a small radio program in 1996, it has spent three decades relentlessly covering wars, human rights abuses, and climate crises that mainstream media ignored.

Goodman traveled to East Timor, Haiti, Georgia's death row, occupied Western Sahara, and in front of Trump Tower — anywhere power felt uncomfortable. She faced threats of arrest along the way, all captured in the new documentary.

The title "Steal This Story" is more than a slogan. Recalling times when networks used their footage without permission, Goodman said: "I encourage that. Steal this story, please. It's a failure if it's an exclusive. We are covering these critical issues of the day, and we want to ensure that these stories get out because independent media is essential to the functioning of a democratic society."

Implications [Expert Analysis]

Among media freedom researchers, there is growing consensus that the survival of independent media is directly tied to the health of democracy itself. As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes content production and distribution, the scarcity of outlets with genuine independent reporting capacity is likely to increase.

Meanwhile, the continued collapse of advertising-based revenue models is intensifying financial pressure on mainstream media — while paradoxically creating opportunities for reader-funded independent outlets.

The "access of evil" Goodman warns against persists in new forms in the digital age. Competition for algorithmic traffic and self-censorship driven by social media follower counts are replacing or combining with traditional advertiser deference. How independent media navigates these new structural pressures is likely to become a defining variable in the future direction of journalism.