December 11, 2025
Reuters has launched a short film highlighting the power of its investigative journalism and what’s involved in producing trusted news and information at scale.
Created by the company’s branded content studio, Reuters Plus, ‘Be Informed’ spotlights Enterprise journalist Maurice Tamman and the investigative campaign, Fentanyl Express. The Reuters team infiltrated the secretive supply chain of the synthetic opioid, and with just $3,600 purchased enough precursor chemicals to produce at least $3 million worth of fentanyl tablets.
“What we were doing, is effectively recreating what the cartel suppliers were doing,” says Tamman. “The idea that we went out and were able to firsthand document how these supply chains work, was a unique effort to create something that has largely gone uncovered.”
Arif Durrani, Global Content Director, Reuters Plus Studio explained, “Through the pace of the backing track and stripped back graphics, we wanted to capture some of the energy and tension involved in the reporting process. Maurice is a great narrator, and our ‘pulling back the curtain’ approach is an attempt to help audiences better understand the human investment and rigour behind such ambitious work.”
The seven-part editorial series, some two years in the making, has won several high-profile awards for its thorough and impactful work, including the prestigious 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting.
It comes during another challenging year for professional journalism, with data from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism 2025 Digital News Report finding overall trust in news providers sits at just 40%, amid increasing media fragmentation.
Tamman notes that some stories require a level of expertise and global resources many news organisations do not have. He adds: “This was an extremely large team by journalistic standards. It included graphic artists, editors, lawyers and reporters deeply sourced all over the world. From Washington DC and LA all the way to China and Mexico. It was a truly remarkable team. There really aren’t that many news organisations left in the world that can do this.”
Whether you’re a policymaker, business executive or simply a concerned citizen, being informed by trusted, accountable journalism will help you make critical decisions.
“In an age of misinformation, disinformation and AI deep fakes, this timely film invites people to think about where they get their news. In a world of increasing uncertainty, being informed by quality, trusted journalism will help you make better decisions,” Durrani said.