Film backdrop image for When journalists become agents (2026)

202628 minPG-13current-affairs

When journalists become agents

202628 minPG-13current-affairs

Investigative reporters, including Lars Petersen from Business Insider, examine the complex relationship between journalism and intelligence agencies, focusing on the BND's surveillance of journalists in Germany.

Genres

Channel: DW Documentary

When journalists become agents

2026• 28 minPG-13

Synopsis

Investigative reporters, including Lars Petersen from Business Insider, examine the complex relationship between journalism and intelligence agencies, focusing on the BND's surveillance of journalists in Germany.

Synopsis

Investigative reporters often rely on confidential sources, but the relationship with intelligence agencies can blur ethical lines. Lars Petersen, head of investigative reporting at Business Insider, discusses how journalists can become unwitting agents for organizations like the Federal Intelligence Service (BND). The documentary examines a significant scandal from the 1990s, when the BND systematically monitored journalists, particularly those critical of the agency. Insights from former BND agent Wilhelm Dietl, journalist Andreas Förster, and intelligence expert Erich Schmidt-Eenboom provide a comprehensive view of this complex issue.

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