The Intercept

Glenn Greenwald, Laura Poitras and Jeremy Scahill published “Welcome to The Intercept,” describing it as the first of several planned digital magazines from First Look Media; its short-term aim was reporting on the NSA documents provided by Edward Snowden, and its long-term aim “aggressive and independent adversarial journalism.”⁠[1]

Its first stories included Scahill and Greenwald’s report on NSA methods for drone targeting and Trevor Paglen’s aerial images of NSA facilities.⁠[1]

On March 10, 2014 former Gawker editor-in-chief John Cook was announced as editor; on December 5 that year Betsy Reed, executive editor of The Nation, was named editor-in-chief, starting January 5, 2015.⁠[2][3]

The Daily Beast reported that First Look Media was shutting down access to Snowden’s trove of leaked documents and laying off the researchers who maintained it.⁠[4]

Al Jazeera reported that co-founder Greenwald resigned, saying editors would not publish his article unless he removed sections critical of Joe Biden; The Intercept responded that it was Greenwald “who has strayed from his original journalistic roots.”⁠[5]

Betsy Reed left to lead Guardian US; deputy editor Roger Hodge became acting editor-in-chief from August 1, with Nausicaa Renner as deputy editor.⁠[6]

Several outlets reported that in September 2022 The Intercept received $500,000 of a larger grant from the Bankman-Fried family’s Building a Stronger Future, with the total reported as both $4 million and $3.25 million. After FTX collapsed, a spokesperson said no decision had been made on returning the money and that the outlet was still gathering information to make a principled decision.⁠[7][8]

The Intercept announced it would spin off from the First Look Institute as an independent nonprofit, with a significant multiyear gift from First Look and David Bralow as general manager. AxiosAxiosAxios is a US digital news media company founded in 2016 by former Politico executives Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, and Roy Schwartz and launched in January 2017. It is known for short news items and industry newsletters in the “Smart Brevity” style, especially for its Washington political coverage, and publishes local news newsletters in cities across the United States through Axios Local. Since 2022 it has been owned by Cox Enterprises.Open the full entry reported that its paying members had fallen from 70,000 in 2020 to 50,000.⁠[9][10]

The Intercept named Annie Chabel, former chief operating officer of the Center for Investigative Reporting, as its first chief executive from May 1; Maria Ressa and Pat Christen of the Omidyar Group joined the board from April 1, and Hodge was confirmed as editor-in-chief.⁠[11]

IRS records show Intercept Media Inc received its tax exemption in September 2023.⁠[12]

In February 2024 The Intercept sued OpenAI and Microsoft in federal court in the Southern District of New York under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, alleging the removal of copyright management information from its articles.⁠[13]

On February 15 The Intercept laid off 15 staff, including editor-in-chief Roger Hodge, while leadership took pay cuts.⁠[14]

On April 26 The Intercept named Ben Muessig, an assistant managing editor at the Los Angeles Times, interim editor-in-chief from April 29.⁠[15]

In July co-founder Scahill announced his departure and launched Drop Site News with Ryan Grim and Nausicaa Renner, describing it as a “lean, sustainable, reader-supported news organization.”⁠[16]

On November 21, 2024 Judge Jed S. Rakoff allowed The Intercept’s claim that OpenAI removed copyright management information to proceed, dismissed the distribution claim and dismissed all claims against MicrosoftMicrosoftMicrosoft is a technology company founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975 and headquartered in Redmond, Washington, with businesses spanning Windows, Microsoft 365, Azure, enterprise software, artificial intelligence, gaming and devices.Open the full entry with prejudice.⁠[13]

A Loeb & Loeb case summary says Rakoff issued his written opinion on February 20, 2025, finding that The Intercept had standing, contrary to Judge Colleen McMahon’s ruling in Raw Story v. OpenAI.⁠[17]

According to its Form 990 filings, Intercept Media Inc had revenue of about $18.96 million and expenses of about $11.19 million in fiscal 2023, and revenue of about $5.60 million, expenses of about $9.52 million and net assets of about $3.85 million in fiscal 2024, with Chabel listed as chief executive and Pat Christen as chair.⁠[12]

The Intercept’s About page lists Ben Muessig as editor-in-chief, Annie Chabel as chief executive, Miroslav Macala as chief operating officer, David Bralow as general counsel and Maia Hibbett as managing editor, at 15 W. 38th St., New York.⁠[18]

The Intercept: Official website: https://theintercept.com/ (opens in a new window)⁠[18]