A new documentary, Steal This Story, Please!, profiles Amy Goodman, the host of the listener-funded radio show Democracy Now!, which has been on the air since 1996. The film, directed by Carl Deal and Tia Lessin, charts her career as an investigative journalist who has consistently challenged power, from covering the 1991 East Timor massacre to confronting oil giants and US presidents.
Early Career and Breakthrough Reporting
Goodman began on the Phil Donahue Show before moving to radio, where she developed a reputation for persistence. Her breakthrough came in 1991 when she reported on Indonesia's massacre in East Timor, which was carried out largely with US-made weapons. She was beaten with M16 rifle-butts, along with New Yorker journalist Allan Nairn, who shielded her from the worst of the violence.
She also secured a notable scoop when she walked into Chevron's headquarters in Nigeria, demanding an interview. An unwary press officer confirmed that Chevron was helping the military suppress protests by the Ogoni people and their spokesperson Ken Saro-Wiwa.
Confronting Power and Controversies
Democracy Now! made headlines in November 2000 when Bill Clinton, campaigning for Hillary Clinton and Al Gore, called the show on election day and stayed on the phone for half an hour. Clinton was visibly irritated by Goodman's questioning, which he seemed to expect would be softened by his charm.
After 9/11, Goodman's work intensified. She criticized the federal government's push to get workers back to Ground Zero despite health hazards, and denounced the Iraq war over its non-existent weapons of mass destruction. However, the documentary could have been more critical of Goodman, particularly on the threat of Islamist extremism, which she appears less interested in covering.
A Continuing Mission
Goodman's stance on Trump is complex, as he attacks the mainstream media in ways that echo her own rhetoric. Yet she remains clear about Trump's reliance on compliant big media. The film concludes that Goodman's work continues in the era of Ukraine and Gaza, appearing harder and lonelier than ever. Steal This Story, Please! is at Bertha DocHouse, London, from 12 August.
