A defense of undercover journalism
Ken Silverstein, an editor for Harper’s, famously pretended to be the representative of a London-based energy company with business interests in Turkmenistan when approaching a bunch of Washington lobbyists. Turkmenistan is known for its brutal, inhumane treatment of its citizens, but this didn’t stop the lobbyists from promising all sorts of deception to boost the country’s international image.
After publishing his account, Silverstein was harshly criticized by the beltway media establishment for being “disingenuous” by pretending to be someone he wasn’t.
Well, Silverstein decided to defend himself in an LA Times article. In it, he briefly summarizes the history of undercover journalism and explains why it’s essential, sometimes, in getting to the truth.
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